My Grease-stained Shoe

My Grease-stained Shoe

Two weeks ago, I bought a new pair of wedge shoes for myself. I wore it the next day to work. During lunch, we got on a tricycle to Edsa Central to grab a bite. I got on the driver’s backseat with another friend, I always do this because I find the experience fun. When we got back to the office, I found the dirty grease stain on my new shoe. Imagine my sadness.  Girls, I bet you understand the feeling. 

I decided not to worry about it the whole day I was in the office. There was too much on my work plate at that moment.

  

When I got home, I tried to remember what my grade school teacher told us about removing grease stain and guess what?... I can’t remember any. Ha! I searched the net and tried a few. The stained surface isn't cloth so it was difficult to deal with. I got tired after a few minutes and decided to lie on my bed and left the shoe (with the stubborn stain) on my computer table.

I had a pretty good view of the shoe from where I was, so I stared at it, initially out of frustration, I guess; then it led to something else. I stared at it for a few minutes more got up to get a closer look. It was beautiful. I realized how I was seeing it exactly the first time I saw and bought it. I didn’t mind what’s left of the grease stain. To my eyes, it was, and still is, a beautiful shoe.

Aren't we all faced with the same challenge in real life sometimes? Not with our shoes but with the people in our lives. We meet people and we get along really well. A mere acquaintance turns into a friendship and/or a relationship. This sweet beginning can sometimes sadly turn into a bitter and painful memory because of the mistakes that the other person commits. 

Mistakes happen; the consequences of which can last for a day, or a week, or a month or maybe a lifetime. It could ruin relationships and bruise trust. It could change the way we used to look at the other person. We know that some things cannot be undone. Trust can be very difficult to regain. 

What I learned today from my grease-stained shoe may not be easily applied to the real life situation I explained above. Let me explain further. 

I guess, what I am trying to say is…maybe, it will work this way. Maybe, just maybe, it will be easier to forgive and accept if we change our perspective and look at the person the way we have the first time we accepted them in our lives. This doesn’t mean we tolerate the mistake or just let it pass without repair. This means that after the struggle, the exchange of arguments and the reconciliation, the first step is to start again. What did I see in you that led me to this friendship? Or relationship? Then, maybe (just maybe), we can all learn to go back to the way it used to be.

I’m still trying to remove the grease from my shoe and I guess I am making progress. But this time, I no longer do it in frustration. And yeah, I still love to wear ‘em even with the grease stain.