The Boot

There it was.
Just sitting beside the road. One boot.
One lonely boot. Weird. Like someone just stepped out of it and walked away.

Why?

Did someone in a fit of anger, a relational brawl, toss it out their car? Did it fall from back of a truck, out of a bag on way to Goodwill? Who would voluntarily give up one of their boots? Maybe it was too tight and this person yanked it off and pitched it, whereupon it landed as it stood…a one foot boot.

Whatever.

The Boot sat beside the road I traveled every day to and from work. A busy road. Okay, I thought, someone will soon miss The Boot, backtrack, spot it, claim it. Or maybe someone will feel sorry for it, stop, pick it up, rescue it. At least give it a decent disposal. Once when I passed, The Boot had fallen over on its side. Next time I passed it was sitting up straight. Somehow nice knowing someone was considerate enough to set it up straight. Finally, one day I stopped, walked over, knelt down and inspected The Boot. Brown leather, furry inside. Couldn’t see size. I was not going to pick it up. Maybe it was “bootie” trapped or hiding hidden camera. I left it to continue its vigil. Its last stand.

Sometimes I feel like a one boot day. Like I’m missing something, or someone. Is someone missing me? Most everyone has at some point felt tossed aside. Lost. Lonely. Unmatched. Unneeded. Unclaimed. Responsibilities tighten. I imagine stepping outside, walking away, ditching it all. How long could things stand without me? I fall to the side. But somehow through a higher power, the kindness of others, or my sheer determination, I get back up. We never know what someone is hiding or what they are made of unless we take time to stop and look inside.  

Things happen that are not fair. We feel overwhelmed. Confused. We can’t explain it or fix it. I have learned to trust God when nothing makes sense in life. Reading and believing His Word feeds my faith, keeps hope alive. It may take years, longer than you like, but God’s timing is perfect and one day looking back will make perfect sense. I know. I’ve been there. God works in mysterious ways while we are waiting…or standing alone.

So, one day I stopped my car, grabbed The Boot, took it home and planted a flower in it. Someone out there (you know who you are) is missing a boot. But now The Boot has a place in my garden. And a soul mate…me.