Running in Heels

The Norstrom's Anniversary Sale emails have begun to flood my inbox and I am yet again impressed by their marketing team and their ability to speak to my soul. One pretty pair of heels after another show up in my inbox and I envision each outfit they would go with and which occasion I would wear them to. Even admitting it to ya'll creates a little giddy heart flutter inside of me.

Wearing a great pair of heels has always been something I have loved to do. My mom was a cowgirl that notoriously had on cowgirl boots or her dirty tennies from being in the pasture... but she loved a good pair of heels, and boy did I admire that. I never really appreciated them until I got to college and sorority life gave me an excuse to buy more pairs than I probably NEEDED. The favorites were a pair of hot pink and black ones by BCBG that were so dang comfortable I could run in them. And I knew that because I did once... and no, I didn't trip. 

Running in heels became a measure of whether or not they were worthy of purchasing. If I could run in them, I knew I could walk blocks in them, wrangle children in them, host an event in them, or even climb ladders in them. All ridiculous situations for such shoes, but most definitely all ones I found myself in when wearing heels. The first time I tested this method of whether or not I should buy heels based on their "runability", the salesman looked at me like I was crazy. He clearly thought his good looks and compliments were enough to sway a mid-twenties mom into the impulse buy that he assumed I was making, but little did he know it was anything but impulse making that decision. The test results showed that the Sole Society 'Missy' Sandal are probably the best runners I have ever purchased, and I now own them in all three colors.

This last week someone complimented me on how gracefully I walk in heels. I thanked them, told them they are basically my running shoes and proceeded to get in my car and drive for 45 minutes to my next meeting. I was reflecting on my love affair with heels when I realized how ironic it is that it is kind of like a metaphor for my life. 

Running in heels is tricky and not the easy way of getting from point A to B. More times than not I realize that I choose that for myself...the path with lots of obstacles and opportunities to pray that I don't trip and fall flat on my face. Nonetheless, here I am, learning patience, grace, and steadfastness in this game of life. Phew, if only each of my challenges looked as pretty as some of those heels instead of feeling as painful as some of the blisters I have gotten from wearing them. 

I love my heels, I love running, and I love running in heels. What can I say, I was created for this beautifully messy life and I thank the Lord for the calves to sustain my love for these shoes. 💕

Photo by Frances Gual Photography