Sunday Ramblings: Shoes

I had a sad moment yesterday. I put on my trusted old Birkenstock sandals to discover the cork sole is cracking...they are finally nearing the end.
I'm of the barefoot variety- sandals as often as possible (none of those between toe torturers tho thank you very much). Even though I work in a research lab I wear them right up to the door and swap them out, getting in as much cozy foot time as possible. Shoes are merely a necessary evil, and my Birks make my foottime a pleasure.
My beat up white birks have been around for so long they are almost like a comforted old friend. Back in grade 12, over 14 years ago, on a trip to Vancouver with my best mate at the time I was overwhelmed by the big city and had an incredible time visiting, seeing the ocean, penguins and feeling "adult" really for the first time in my life. It was a time of learning about myself, forming opinions and really thinking about what was important to me and where I might go in the future. I'd saved and saved for the trip and at the end, I still had some $$ left. I wanted a memory bank of sorts to take with me and Kar and I wandered Granville Island and Robson St. where I found a store selling Birkenstocks. I got a white pair (...I thought I was being so unique) and picked the animal free kind as I was just starting to care about that sort of thing. I put them on, and honestly, for the last 15 odd years I've taken them off as little as possible, trendy or not. They've gone with me to other continents and wandered the Cliffs of Moor in Ireland and the paths on J's grandfather's home by Letcombe Regis in England, stumbled around Edmonton and Banff, hiked through Cypress Hills, Dawson Creek and Little Bear Lake, through Toronto and Niagra Falls and even helped me feel less geeky on classical choir trips through the states in College. They came with me to weddings and funerals and many late night barbecues and stumble fests now they represent summer and relaxation. I grudgingly trade them for my Superstars (another shoey love story) to dance in, and only because of snow and rain.
Sadly, they are falling apart and I am torn. Rebuilding them is nearly the cost of a new pair. Should I let the past go and start new, or rebuild my old companions for 15 more years of adventure? I suppose I'll have to decide soon...

Sunday Ramblings is a creative writing/blogging idea from Sunday Scribblings. I know it's monday, but I'm a bit slow...