“When the road is rough, wear tougher shoes…”
Mitra Rahbar
Sometimes I need this kind of reminder. Here is how I break it down.
This short quote doesn’t start with the word ‘if’ but with the word ‘when’. This wisdom begins with the basic truth that there will be a time, or many times, or some times when the road will be rough. It’s a fact, really. The road of life will be rough at times. There will be times when you feel defeated, sad, overwhelmed…maybe even as if the world has conspired against you. There will be times when you just don’t want to face what is in front of you…it’s too hard. There will be times when you want to throw your hands up and say “Enough already, I quit!”
On the rough roads of life, what if we decided to lace up or slip on tougher shoes? I love this metaphor because it doesn’t mean that you should ignore the way you are feeling. That never works. It means by choosing a sturdy pair of shoes you don’t allow yourself to be cut and scraped and bruised by every single step along the way. It means that you find a way to walk through it without being hobbled at every step.
How can we do this? One shoe at a time!
Putting on the first ‘tougher’ shoe is realizing that you have a choice. I am not saying you have to know what this is or what it looks like. I am saying you simply need to accept in your mind and believe in your heart that you have a choice about how to travel the rough road you are on. You have the power to decide. Now it may not seem like much, but that is one tough shoe!
The second shoe is now sitting there, ready for wear. Realizing you have a choice, lift your gaze. Simply look up and out. Notice. That’s the second ‘tougher’ shoe…lift your gaze so that you can notice. Lift your gaze, breathe and take one step. This is the second toughest shoe you will wear on the rough roads of life.
Wearing tougher shoes is not about being tough, but about being wise, aware, kind and open to possibilities. Try them on?
Much love
Paula
