This is about the love of sneakers. For when you think I’m good, I’ve got it, but then life laughs. So, you laugh, yay.

Years can pass and no sneakers are there for your eyes to glue on, but, then, one day comes and you see three pairs of sneakers, on the same day, and you can’t fall asleep, on the day. Almost two years have passed since my last confession and, by confession, I mean giving in to yet one more pair of sneakers. But, then, the day from above came. By day I mean day and by sneakers I mean sneakers. Have been writing and deleting. Still writing and deleting. 

Holidays come and gifts are in the air. What do you truly want for Christmas?, mom asked me. It, almost, made my brain twist. I was in the middle of a conversation, with a friend, on the phone, when I hit pause and answered the call in waiting. It was mom and she, almost, got angry, as moms do, for not reaching me as fast as she’d wanted to. The reason behind the urgency?

– What do you truly want for Christmas?

– Mom, really? 

But, then, I went out to get presents. I knew, exactly, what I wanted. For them. In the back of my mind, though, I could hear my mom’s voice. What do I truly want for Christmas? We, almost, got into a fight, earlier. Almost x3. Thank God for Christmas. With my headphones in, I stepped out of my head, out of plans, and entered Nike. Apparently, for no reason. No filter whatsoever, I let my mind be the kite it likes to be, at the speed that it likes to ride. It’s precisely how my eyes got stuck on a particular pair of sneakers.

Instantly, I could see my life revolving around these sneakers. It’s a new style I was, it seems instantly, yes, unconsciously, fearlessly, eager to step into. Air Nikes. Ooh. I’m putting this into words now, I was only listening to music then. I could feel how this new pair of shoes takes me places. New. Fresh. Exciting. I put them on. My Nike size precisely, uh-oh. They, instantly, felt a bit… elevating. This is not only metaphorically speaking. They, literally, gave a kind of kick to my heels, inserted a sort of cushion between the earth and me. I’d been listening to Levitating a lot. 

Might this be it? 

I must admit. 

They’re not the most comfortable shoes I’d ever put on, I must confess. Yet, I hope. Get out of your comfort zone is what we all – I hope – hear in key moments of our lives, though. Later edit: nope, still uncomfortable and I tried. End of later edit.

I like them so much I can hardly wait for the day they’re going to feel super cozy, take them places, too, turn us into forever. They first took me to the Maldives. I was barefoot there for one whole week, oh. Hm. Later edit: this Hm, now that I think about it, was my intuition speaking one hundred percent. I, still, like them a lot, but I can’t fool myself into believing that I’d take them for a ride and I tried. End of later edit.

I didn’t give in from the start, though, I didn’t get them on the spot. I was only listening to music, remember. So, I left Nike thinking Just another pair of sneakers. I’m good, I’ve got it, but then life laughs. But thought about them when trying to fall asleep, at night, on the day I saw them, and couldn’t. Sleep. You know when you really like someone and, before you fall asleep, without any plans of thinking, you think? About them. This is it. I couldn’t fall asleep. And it only happens so rarely. I even went to my next door neighbour to tell him all about it. We got mesmerised, exchanged Christmas gifts, listened to music, had a good conversation. Got my sign.

I just said laugh laughs after saying so, I left Nike thinking Just another pair of sneakers. I’m good, I’ve got it. Yes, it does. Walking into another sneakers shop, without thinking, again, just listening to music while kite surfing, I felt my eyes electrifying my brain.

The music was loud, in my ears, and my hands wanted to touch what the heart wanted. What? Yes, it’s like that. Just moments after the encounter from above, I was touching yet another pair of sneakers. Phosphorescent almost colours, very bright, to say the least, colours touching the black Blazer Nikes. They even felt light. Asked for my size. It’s interesting with this half measures. They only have 38 and 39. I’m a Nike 38.5. I – still, obviously – put them on.

Attention, please! I hope you are ready for this, because I know what I felt when my eyes saw that ~ the soles were different. Bright orange and bright turquoise. Convinced, I rushed to the counter desk to ask whether my size could be found anywhere.

 While restlessly waiting, I giggled at the sight of some zebra leggings. Focus, Cristina.

On yet one more pair of sneakers. What?! Welcome to my world.

 I knew I wanted the classic white Converse. But that was until I saw the classic white Converse with red stars. They found my size, I got them on the spot.

Oops, they, also, found the phosphorescent almost colours, very bright, to say the least, colours touching the black Blazer Nikes Nikes, in my size, in the polar opposite part of the city, who cares, yes!

What do you truly want for Christmas?

I had no idea about what an avalanche mom’s question was about to trigger. About x8. Anyhoo, I went, the next day, to the shop that had the Blazer Nikes in my size and got them. Right on Christmas Eve. No, on the noon of Christmas Eve, because on the actual Christmas Eve, I got the Air Nikes. From the place I first saw them, in the polar opposite part of the city, who cares, yes, and so on! You with me?

Quite a ride. This. Life.

Let It Be

Mysterious Ways

I Feel Love

You Do You

.

😉