THE SHOE (a lifted tribute to a trampled brother)

This Winsday Wisdom has no redeeming value. It is more about a shoe sole than your soul.

Why, oh why, would I stand on a football field holding one tennis shoe in the air as if I were carrying the Olympic torch? It was homage to my brother. What is homage? It is a public act of honor and respect.

Why the shoe? You would need to know the history.

Shoes come in all sizes, shapes, and brands. While many impoverished souls in this world would be thrilled to have one good pair of shoes, some celebrities and shoe lovers own hundreds of shoes, ready for every occasion.

Shoes protect and provide comfort for the feet while standing, walking, running, climbing, or working. They can be functional necessities, fashion statements, or logo love.

Technology, time, and social influence have propelled shoes to symbols of wealth and status. Customs, traditions, and social media contribute to the importance of shoes.

Symbolic shoe rituals are attached to spiritual and social customs. Sometimes shoes are removed as a spiritual expression of leaving the materialistic world behind as one meditates in worship. At other times, the removal of shoes is a necessity because the keeper of the clean house demands dirty shoes remain outside.

In Cinderella, the glass slipper signified hope. Dorothy’s Wizard of Oz ruby slippers pointed to home. The Christmas Shoes aimed at the heart.

In The Red Shoes, Vicky’s red ballet dancing shoes emphasized life and death choices. Other shoes are statements of independence or revenge. Some footwear followed The Road Not Taken, which “made all the difference.” Other Boots are Made for Walkin’ and “they are going to walk all over you”.

Michael Jordon soared Nike Air shoes to higher levels. Elvis protested not to step on his Blue Suede Shoes. Preachers tell us not to judge others when we have never walked in their shoes.

Throughout time, shoes have also played a vital part in cultural statements beyond footwear. In the Middle East, a thrown shoe is a horribly offensive insult equivalent to throwing dirt on someone. In the Arab culture, it is a sign of contempt and disrespect.

I don’t think one needs cultural enlightenment to understand that a shoe toss to your face is not intended as a gesture of love. Shoe-throwing has found its way into many protest scenarios. Even good old American red-neck country boys might agree that a boot thrown at your head is probably a sign of disgust, if not something more.

In some past cultures, a thrown shoe was a challenge to a life and death duel. There are incidents of shoe-tossing as an act of cultural celebration or declaration of freedom.

In the Bible, the removal of shoes expresses respect and reverence for being in the presence of God.  In another scriptural account, the relative of Boaz, the future husband of Ruth and great-grandfather of King David, removed his sandal to finalize a legal transaction.

God threw His shoe over Edom. I have no idea what that means. I do not think it is a good thing. Neither is “Moab is my washpot.”

That kind of confusion led me to do something this week that might be just as unexplainable.

I am no Goody Two Shoes. I tend to break with conformity and prefer to go barefoot. Whenever that is inappropriate, I choose athletic tennis shoes.

This past week, I stood on a football field and raised my tennis shoe over my head in homage to my brother. It was personal and private. However, it was done in a public place.

Instant pictures on social media were not the concern of Boaz back in his days. Yet, God saw to it that the legal transaction would be recorded for public knowledge for the next four thousand years as a homage to true love.

Here is my sad story and sordid confession along with the social media account.

Friday Night Lights had been exciting. The team I work with had just defeated the crosstown rival on their home turf. It was a beatdown victory, a gridiron delight. The packed house scenario was highlighted by the opponents’ anticipated homecoming celebration and the breakout of their new uniform colors.

My description of the gridiron contest is not intended as disrespect for the opponent. Their coaches are top-notch, and their program is elite. Last year, they did a big-time whipping on our team. For this night, it was the memories from two years ago that flooded my mind.

The rival team won a hard-fought regular season contest at this same stadium. Our team turned the tables with a six-overtime thrilling victory in the state playoffs.

My brother recently retired as a highly successful coach with multiple state championships. However, that last visit to this opponent’s stadium was marked by a strange and chaotic ending.

The other team clinched the victory with some last second heroics. In their excitement, some of their players ran to our sidelines and began to taunt. Their whole team bolted onto the field around those guys and began a wild celebration. Jumping. Hugging. Shouting. It was football joy, only in front of our bench.

As the game ended, my brother and our other coaches started to the midfield for the traditional postgame handshake with the opposing coaching staff.

Suddenly, pandemonium ensued as several opposing players unintentionally knocked my brother to the ground. The wild celebrants danced and trampled my brother on the ground. Our athletic director and his best friend reached Coach Bill before I could.

Zach and Rick pushed away the swarming players in a daring rescue operation that would have made the Secret Ops proud. However, it was not before Bill had been kicked, stomped, and buried under the avalanche of athletes.

My brother was relatively unscathed except for losing one shoe in the embarrassment. Our mother always called him “Cool Breeze.” Even in the bedlam, our coach carried out his congratulatory handshake with the opposing coaches.

Through it all, he carried his shoe in his hand. The television cameras followed our coach as he walked off the field, one shoe on and one shoe clutched in hand.

Once we knew brother was unharmed, our athletic director and I enjoyed hearing Bill’s description of the event. We would all joke about it later. The whole event was comical, except for the endangerment to one’s ribs and reputation.

How does an opposing team get away with knocking down the rival coach and then trampling him underfoot?

I vowed revenge.

Yes, I am petty. Or as Mom would say, “You are very petty.” I think she meant to say, “very pretty.”

I might be petty, but my memory is longer than an elephant’s trunk. My revenge can put a skunk to shame.

In a moment that had no significance to anyone except myself, I chose to entertain myself in our team’s postgame celebration. Our victorious football players gathered with the pep squad as the band played the alma mater. I stood all alone half a field away.

I took off my right shoe and raised it over my head. The Statue of Liberty has never stood more proudly over the land of the free and the home of the brave.

I muttered to myself, “This is for you brother. I am with you heart and sole.”

My raised shoe was such a small thing in the night’s events, but it felt so good!

Jungle Book author, Rudyard Kipling, wrote “Teach us to delight in simple things.” In the rush of life, too often we overlook “the little things” that bring joy and express love.

As I get older, I notice “the little things” much more often. A small act of kindness. A bird chirping. A grandchild smiling. A beautiful butterfly. A beach in the moonlight. A thank-you note. A breath of fresh air. A raised shoe.

“The little things in life are what connect us to all the big things we live for” (Robert Frost).

The little things in your life are important to God. Those small feelings might be pretty, or they might be petty. Neither is insignificant.

How are you feeling today? Are you ready to throw a shoe at someone? Are you walking to your own beat? Are you wanting to raise a shoe in celebration or protest? Or just go out and buy a new pair of shoes? You never know when you might lose one.

Add a little humor to your life. It might steer your mind away from petty behavior and tense situations. I recommend doing little things that amuse yourself. You do not need to cause a show. Just lend a shoe.

If you choose to raise a shoe, do it in honor of someone. If you feel the impulse to throw a shoe, expect one to be returned.

I am under no delusion. What goes around comes around. I am not the only person with a petty toolbox. Someone will top my shoe show, and it will be at my expense. People should not be so petty!

Have a blessed day and delight in the little things of life.