To bury a loved one, to say goodbye, it is probably the hardest thing a person can ever do. To let go of a friend, a friend you have crossed the globe with, to say a final goodbye. It is hard at times to be human, but we persevere, we move on. Today I must say a final farewell to a pair of friends I have known for only a few years, but whom I have seen so much with.
Oh, my pair of hiking sandals, how I will miss you so much. Sometimes outcasts in the lands we visited, you were always a comforting presence, both in foot comfort and familiarity of sight. We traversed beaches, rivers and jungles. You Always had my back. Supporting my posture and peace of mind, you are a friend I will always miss. We explored together the wilds of North America from Canada to Mexico, we tasted the sandy air of the Arabian desert and moisture heavy jungles of southeast Asia. I will never experience a cross section of the world with another friend as I have with you.
It was in the mid 2000’s that we first met and it would be the forests of southern Canada were you would ultimately meet your fate. Ever striving to be the vessels my feet would always want, you travelled the world. When you finally gave out, I saw the collection that had built up in your soles, it was beautiful. Sand and muck from countless beach excursions and treks in the wilderness had filled every space in your sole. Even now I go through the pictures of our time together and reminisce. Will I ever know a friend as you? A partner to wander the wilderness with, Another sole who desires the unknown as much as I.
What will be my sole support in the next stage of this life. Will ever a pair step up to the challenge, or will I be relegated to fly by nights only intent on the current moment with no desire to persevere. Only time will tell. So farewell my old friends. You had a good life, no, a great life, So remember the seas, deserts and mountains you explored. I know I will.
