The Man with Two Red Shoes

A long time ago in a far away land called Suburbia, there lived a boy. This boy grew up in a good home with two loving parents. Every day, in many different ways, he would receive messages that he was safe, cared for, and surrounded by love. However, at the same time, he was receiving other messages of a different sort: you must always do things the right way, you can never trust yourself, and you must never stand out but must blend into your surroundings (standing out was especially bad...if you stood out, you would be noticed and being noticed came with consequences). Day after day, these messages were broadcast and, little by little, they oozed their way into the boy's psyche.

Years passed and the boy grew to be a teenager. The messages he had received had an impact on his life but, perhaps because of the rebellious nature of the teenage years, the boy fought against this programming. One day, he went out and bought a pair of red hi-top converse all stars (the plan was to buy a pair of black ones as well and then wear one of each...sadly, this never happened). The boy loved his new shoes and couldn't wait to wear them. They made him feel good and edgy and like he would be the center of attention when he wore them.

The first time he wore his shoes was to meet a new friend one evening for dinner. This was a friend that the boy was trying to impress and whose opinion the boy valued greatly. After the first few minutes of conversation upon their meeting, the talk turned to the shoes.

"They are very red," said the friend.
"Yes!" the boy replied, thinking this was a definite plus.
"Much too red for me, I would be embarrassed to wear them!" the friend replied with disdain.

With this statement, the boy realized that what was meant was that his friend thought he should be embarrassed wearing such shoes...and that his friend was embarrassed to be seen with him wearing them. Crushed, the boy went home that night, took off his shoes and packed them away. Every few years, he would come across them, dust them off, and remember that there was a time when they gave him a good feeling. Then the shoes would be packed away again to gather more dust.

While the matter of the shoes was a small thing, it was followed by many more similar small things. With each small issue that arose over the years, the boy, now a man, would try to do the right thing, never trusting himself but rather following what other people said so that he could blend in and not be noticed. This continued until, one day, the man looked in the mirror and realized he didn't recognize himself. He no longer had any idea who he was. From that day forward, he began a search to find his real, true self. The search continues, but one thing is certain...if he comes across those red shoes again, he is going to put them on and dance a dance of pure joy.

The moral of the story: Every day, in every way, in even the smallest, most insignificant matters, be true to yourself and let your true self shine. It will make for a happier you and a better world for all of us.