This is about the love of sneakers. For when you think “I’m good, I’ve got it”, but then life laughs. But then we laugh, too.

Years (yeah, sometimes years) can pass and no sneakers are there for your eyes to glue on whatsoever, but then one day comes and you see three pairs at once (yeah, on the same day) and you can’t fall asleep. A year and a half has passed since my last confession and by confession I mean my giving in to, yet, one more pair of sneakers. But then the day came. By day I mean day and by sneakers I mean sneakers. Have been writing and deleting. Still writing and deleting. 

Gifts on holidays are pretty tough. Think of what you truly want, mom said. It, almost, made my brain twist. I was in the middle of a conversation over the phone with a friend when I hit pause and answered the call in waiting just in time to hear mom, almost, angry for not reaching me as fast as she’d wanted to. The reason behind the urgency?

What do you 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. For me. We almost got into a fight earlier. With my headphones in, I stepped out of my head and 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 at and this is, precisely, how my eyes got stuck to these. 

Instantly, I could see my life revolving around these sneakers. It’s a new style I am, as it seems, instantly, yes, not only willing to, but eager to, fearlessly, step into. Ooh. I’m putting this into words now, I was only listening to music back then. I can feel how this new pair of shoes makes me go places. New. Fresh. Exciting. I put them on. My Nike size precisely. They feel a bit… elevating. And this is not only metaphorically speaking. They, literally, give me a kind of kick coming from my ankles or lower. Luckily, I’ve been listening to Dua Lipa pretty much all of the time, lately. 

Might this be it? 

I must admit. 

They’re not the most comfortable shoes I’ve ever put on. Yet (I hope). Get out of your comfort zone is what we all – I hope – hear in key moments of our lives, though.

I love them so much I can, hardly, wait for the day I’m going to feel super comfortable in them, take them places, them taking me places, just in time for us to become forever. I wrote this before these:

They first took me to the Maldives, where I stayed barefoot for one whole week. Hmmm…

Wait.

I did not gave in from the start. I was only listening to music. 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. I felt precisely it. I couldn’t fall asleep. And this happens only so rarely. I even went to my next door neighbour to tell about it. We got mesmerised together, exchanged good gifts, listened to good music, had a good conversation. Got my sign.

So, I left Nike feeling Just another pair of sneakers. I’m good, I’ve got it, but then life laughs.

Walking into another sneakers shop, again without thinking, just listening to music while kite surfing, I feel my eyes electrifying my brain.

The music is loud in my ears while my hands want to touch what the heart wants. What? Yes, it’s like that. Just moments after the encounter before. And I touch them. They even feel light. Ask 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.

I know what I felt when my eyes saw this:

Convinced, I rushed to the counter desk to ask whether my size could be found anywhere else in the city. While, restlessly waiting, I giggle when I see these leggings:

But I focus.

On yet one more pair of sneakers. Just below.

I knew I wanted the classic short white Converse. I’d, already, known we were leaving for the Maldives, too, and had thought that a pair would do great. That was until I saw the classic, short, white ~ and! ~ with red stars chucks, found my size and got them, on the spot.

They said they had the black and phosphorescent Nikes, in my size, in a totally different part of the city. Yes!

What do you truly want for Christmas?

I had no idea about what was about to happen. Meaning? Go, the next day, to the shop that had the Blazer Nikes in my size and get them. Right on the Christmas Eve. No, on the noon of the Christmas Eve, because on the actual Christmas Eve, I was getting the Air Nikes. From the place I first saw them, a totally different part of the city.

Quite a ride.

A couple of song names, an expression of mine, a dot and a wink.

Let It Be

Mysterious Ways

I Feel Love

You Do You

.

😉