I got my saddle shoe!

In my blog of October 19, 2021 I opined that I never got the saddle shoes* that I yearned for as a child. I noted that my father did not have disposable income to buy me an extra pair of shoes and I therefore learned at a young age that (i) you can’t have everything you want and (ii) you must learn to live within your means. Thank you, Dad, for these valuable life lessons which have guided me through my adult life.

Fast forward to today:  My time has come! I now have my saddle shoe only now it is in the form of an 18 carat gold saddle shoe charm that I proudly wear around my neck. It symbolizes for me an incredible sense of personal agency as I turned a childhood longing into a symbol of strength, patience, and growth. This charm is more than a beautiful piece of jewellery. It carries meaningful significance as it is the epitome of me ‘buying myself flowers’ and how invigorating this is!

While I was not in a position as a child to act on my desire for saddle shoes, I was able to act on it as an adult and afford myself the expression of my desire albeit in a different form today. I no longer want a pair of saddle shoes to wear on my feet – I still associate them with shoes ideal for children. But, I am so very proud to wear the saddle shoe around my neck.

I may have waited perhaps far too long to obtain this amazing charm; however, in the end, how sweet it is that I now wear this as a symbol of patience and tenacity. Once again, thanks Dad for the lessons you imparted to me.

I hope you reading this post will take the cue to take charge of what you want. Take the steps to move in the direction you want to go. Upgrade your skills to prepare for the job you want, put in time and effort to improve relationships and make them more meaningful, or adopt a healthier lifestyle to achieve the health gains you desire. Whatever you want for yourself, take the steps to move in that direction. You have the power. You have the agency. You can indeed buy yourself flowers.

*Saddle shoes are named for their separate (2-tone) cut, which resembles a saddle on a mount. They were developed in the 1900s and were popular throughout each century reaching the height of their popularity in the 1950s. They were often worn with bobby socks and poodle skirts. They remained popular in the 1960s, the 1970s, and beyond with today’s versions incorporating a modern variety on the classic 2-toned Oxford style.