I have always worn Converse All Stars...aka Chuck Taylors. I wore them in elementary school, junior high, high school, college and beyond to this very day as I sit typing this in my gray Converse All Star low tops. I LOVE THESE SHOES! I have never loved a brand of shoe the way I love Chuck Taylors...I have had low tops, and high tops...bright turquoise blue high tops, multi color low tops, the classic black high top, gray low tops (today's choice) and a handful of others. (I think the only other brand of shoe that I have come close to loving as much as Converse All Stars are Simple). Converse have always been there...have always been my favorite and I have always stuck by them...except for once...
I was in junior high, seventh grade I think. I have never been one to want whatever was "cool" at that moment...I have always been a t-shirt and jeans kind of girl...never
one to grasp at the hot new trend...until seventh grade and L.A. Gear. Some of you may be too young, (or too old) to know what L.A. Gear shoes are. They are high tops...sometimes with double laces that are multi florescent colors; they also made The Pump high top (just as Dave White), as well as a style that lit up when you walked. But I just wanted the classic pair, with double laces and of course...the most important part of the shoe...the L.A. Gear California license plate key chain that came attached to every pair. In all honesty it was really that cheap, plastic key chain that I wanted...not so much the shoe...but I begged and pleaded and did finally get a pair of those shoes and that coveted key chain. I don't know how many times I wore them, I don't even remember what they looked like (for sure not the picture) and I couldn't tell you what my favorite outfit was to wear with those shoes. They were quickly forgotten and cast off into "The Land of Passing Fads".But not my Chucks...I love wearing any pair of low tops with shorts or jeans or even dress pants. I loved wearing my turquoise low tops with my bright pink shorts and a white t-shirt (it was the late 80's...or early 90's...give me a break). I can wear my black high tops with jeans or even a nice pair of gray or black dress pants. They are comfortable, they breath, I don't have to wear socks if I don't want to, and after a week of walking around Boston in them my feet didn't hurt. I have always had Chucks and I probably always will.
And so it is with our life...constantly bombarded by passing fads, chances at momentary relief from our struggles and frustrations...but we can't give up what we really want, for what we want right now. Because what we really want will always be there for us to lean on, to cry on, to vent to, to bring us peace of mind, and joy. So when decision making time comes...ask yourself..."Is this plastic key chain really worth turning my back on my Chucks?"
