Currently, I am shopping for a new pair of TOMS to replace my a pair I've had and worn-out for the past three years. I've toured Germany, France, and Austria in them. I've wandered all over Northern Michigan. I've worn them to the mall and to walk the Mackinaw Bridge. I've worn them with socks and without, with jeans and with shorts, to work and to play. They are comfortable, and I know they will give me support no matter what I am doing. The seams are worn and frayed, but that just shows all the places the have been and everything they have been through.
These old TOMS are analogous to friends I've known for years. They are comfortable. I know exactly what to expect from them. There is history there. The foundations for these friendships are solid. They have been tried and tested, and they have survived. We have memories together, memories that fuel new experiences together.
When I get my new pair of TOMS, there will inevitably be a period of adjustment. They'll have to be broken in, and maybe I'll get blisters until they form to the shape of my foot.
Since moving to Philly, I've been breaking in new friends like a new pair of shoes. It's a slow, and sometimes painful process. And it last longer than I would like. I'm eager for the comfort of a foundation. I'm more awkward then I would like, so the comfort is usually a long time coming. I wish I could just fast-forward through the awkward moments to get to a place where I feel completely like myself around someone. Until then, I'll just put a band-aid on, and continue on. I'll break in the new shoes, eventually. And when I do, I'll be glad for everything I went through with them.
