I love Keen shoes. They’re amazingly comfortable, durable, functional, stylish (in that “I am not TOO invested in how much my shoes impress you” kinda way) and they hide my ugly left big toenail.
When I was a kid, maybe ten, I liked to wear my dad‘s slippers. Yeah, I know a therapist could fill an entire hour on THAT one ;). I caught athlete’s foot and it wrecked several of my toenails. My left big toenail is now three times as thick as my right one.
I SO remember being 12 and at The Pool. At that point in my life, I always wore a band-aid over That Toe. One day I overheard some of my “friends” discussing the fact that I always covered my left toe. Hmmmm… so I let go of the band-aid. And ya know what? My ugly toenail stirred MUCH less conversation than my attempt to cover it.
Now, back to why I love Keen shoes.
Just when I thought I’d completely released the power That Toenail had over me, I discovered these flip flops that would cover It. So I bought not one, but THREE pairs. This discovery happened several years ago. I’ve since sold two of the pairs on EBay. I kept one though.
I kept them and decorated them and love to wear them. And ya know what else? Wearing them is not about covering The Toenail.
Every time I look at my feet in these shoes I remember:
- that day at The Pool;
- buying three pairs of these pairs of shoes;
- releasing two;
- the fun time I had decorating these;
- and how much fun I take in painting my toenails (especially the Ugly Ones)!
How about you?
Lisa’s Cheap Therapy blog 
I have some imperfections that are better covered for the sake of not grossing out the general public—-for instance my C-section scar from naval on down, which meant no more “bikinis” from age 36 on. I have recently gotten honest, though, with something the media seems to consider an imperfection, and most women my age are buying into—-gray hair! I spent a few years having my monthly date with Miss Clairol, and then one day, thought, “What am I doing? What is wrong with declaring to the world–“Yeah, I AM in my late fifties, and I have lived through enough stuff to earn every one of these gray hairs!!!” My husband agreed and even told me he SO thought our friend, Susan, looked so beautiful with her graying hair and was so COOL for handling aging naturally. That did it— I switched from permanent dyes to wash out ones till I had more than roots, then chopped off all the fake brown. I feel more true to myself and Mother Nature! I’ll still “decorate” myself with mascara and lipstick, but I’m happy letting my silver shine!
Big, deep breath….OK, you can do this Pickett…
Infertility
Hiding right in plain sight for some years now. Anyone who really knows me knows how much family means to me. Why was it my destiny to be unable to have one of my own?
Biggest gut kick of my life. Catalyst for my divorce. A daily companion of mine. The truth/imperfection/abysmal failure that I hide.
Until now….
OK – I’m still breathing
Oh, Pickett….My heart goes out to you, because I had that same pain for many years. Not knowing you, how old you are, what your current life situation is, I don’t know what else to say, except yes, you are still breathing; and as the wonderful Laura Nyro sang so beautifully, “nothing cures like time and love”. Keep breathing…..
Mary Louise, i am SO celebrating that you’ve released that sparkly hair of yours!
Pickett, i am humbled by your honesty and honored by your compassion & love.
Hmmm….if we could all be as honest as Pickett, wouldn’t the world be a better place. We all have those things. We’re just terrified to admit them.