Flip Flops
"A vacation is what you take when you can no longer take what you've been taking." ~Earl Wilson
When our oldest was only three years old and we lived in Korea, the only shoes he would wear were sandals. It was a fight in the colder weather to get him into shoes and if I remember correctly, I believe we admitted defeat and let him walk the cold streets of Seoul with sandals and socks on. In the summer he would encourage me to wear my sandals as well.
The first January, we took a trip to Hawaii to get a break from the relentless winter. I remember getting off the airplane and entering the terminal on Oahu and feeling the warmth and humidity. It felt like coming home. We went to our hotel and immediately changed into summer clothes. As we were preparing to leave the room, Mitchell smiled at us and pointed to Vic's feet. I don't remember the exact words but Mitch was delighted that his Dad had on sandals. Mitch was on vacation and his Dad was with him doing the same.
Sandals, and now flip flops, have come to mean that "Life is Good". If the day lends itself to a pair of these carefree types of shoes, we say an extra thank you to God. A few weeks ago, Vic and I bought those new types of Croc flip flops and proceeded to trek through Busch Gardens in them. Those same shoes sat together yesterday at the bottom of the stairs and as I passed them they looked so inviting. His and Hers. I didn't bother to move them to the proper location because they made me so happy to continually encounter them.
For many reasons, Vic travels to work in civilian clothes and changes into his uniform at the office. It took alot of getting used to, not seeing him leave in his BDU's, flight suits and now DCU's. He used to joke that I was the one who laced up his boots. We have been such a team in this military life that he knows I've been with him down to the last detail. Maybe that is why I'm taking such interest in his footwear. Today, as we chatted prior to Vic leaving for work, I noticed with great glee that he was wearing his flip flops. The outfit he had on today to carry him to work symbolizes for me what those sandals must have meant to Mitch so many years ago. I'm in this beautiful place and Vic is here with me. Even if it is only temporary, we will have on our carefree shoes and know that Life is Good. No brown boots for the desert sand. No black boots for the airborne landing zone. No hot weather boots for only God knows what. Flip Flops - His and Hers.
When our oldest was only three years old and we lived in Korea, the only shoes he would wear were sandals. It was a fight in the colder weather to get him into shoes and if I remember correctly, I believe we admitted defeat and let him walk the cold streets of Seoul with sandals and socks on. In the summer he would encourage me to wear my sandals as well.
The first January, we took a trip to Hawaii to get a break from the relentless winter. I remember getting off the airplane and entering the terminal on Oahu and feeling the warmth and humidity. It felt like coming home. We went to our hotel and immediately changed into summer clothes. As we were preparing to leave the room, Mitchell smiled at us and pointed to Vic's feet. I don't remember the exact words but Mitch was delighted that his Dad had on sandals. Mitch was on vacation and his Dad was with him doing the same.
Sandals, and now flip flops, have come to mean that "Life is Good". If the day lends itself to a pair of these carefree types of shoes, we say an extra thank you to God. A few weeks ago, Vic and I bought those new types of Croc flip flops and proceeded to trek through Busch Gardens in them. Those same shoes sat together yesterday at the bottom of the stairs and as I passed them they looked so inviting. His and Hers. I didn't bother to move them to the proper location because they made me so happy to continually encounter them.
For many reasons, Vic travels to work in civilian clothes and changes into his uniform at the office. It took alot of getting used to, not seeing him leave in his BDU's, flight suits and now DCU's. He used to joke that I was the one who laced up his boots. We have been such a team in this military life that he knows I've been with him down to the last detail. Maybe that is why I'm taking such interest in his footwear. Today, as we chatted prior to Vic leaving for work, I noticed with great glee that he was wearing his flip flops. The outfit he had on today to carry him to work symbolizes for me what those sandals must have meant to Mitch so many years ago. I'm in this beautiful place and Vic is here with me. Even if it is only temporary, we will have on our carefree shoes and know that Life is Good. No brown boots for the desert sand. No black boots for the airborne landing zone. No hot weather boots for only God knows what. Flip Flops - His and Hers.
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