Boots by Barry Hughes

This morning I came upon a pair of boots at the curb, clean and polished and lined up as if ready for another day of faithful service. It was so strange to see them outside; they looked as of they should have been tucked at the end of a cozy bed. They captured my attention and as I took a picture, a song came rushing back from my distant memory in the twinkling of an eye:

“These boots are made for walking
And that’s just what they’ll do
One of these days these boots are gonna
Walk all over you.”

Who knew how close 1966 lingered in this strange year of 2020?

I have to admit, I love such moments. If you follow these morning walks, this comes as no surprise. Memory is a powerful thing, having the ability to shape and guide our lives across the whole of the long, long walk of our life. Some memories can hold us back from joy and new beginnings. Others can inspire and sustain.

In the scriptures of my religion, people of faith used to stack up a pile of rocks at the site of a significant event. Why? So that when their children asked what the stack of rocks meant, they would share the memory of that story, and the memory would live. When Jesus was at the end of his life, he shared bread and wine and instructed followers to continue the practice so that he would be remembered.

In this chapter of my story, I find that I not only treasure those memories that shape and guide my life, but that I also enjoy those that simply make me laugh, like a pair of boots and a Nancy Sinatra song from long ago. I also find myself living with an increased desire to make new memories, to keep walking and really experiencing my days to the fullest. I imagine that, somewhere down the road, even this strange time will leave some treasured memories. After all, these boots are made for walking.

Peace.