The Grace of Wearing the Right Shoes

I went to Atlantic City for a breath of sea air and decided to walk the length of the boardwalk. Before I knew it, I had taken 15,259 steps in just under two hours.

The surprising part wasn't the distance, it was the shoes.

I completed the walk, but every step became increasingly painful because I had chosen the wrong footwear. Two days later, the discomfort still lingers.

It made me think about life.

Sometimes we celebrate making it to the finish line without asking whether the journey had to hurt that much.

Yes, we can complete the assignment. Yes, we can reach the destination. But some of the pain we carry isn't inevitable, it comes from wearing the wrong shoes.

The wrong shoes can look like unhealthy relationships, poor boundaries, environments we've outgrown, or people who were never meant to walk the entire journey with us. They can also be habits, decisions, or responsibilities we were never designed to carry.

Some pain is part of growth.

But not all pain is meant to be part of the journey.

The right shoes won't eliminate every obstacle, but they will make the miles more bearable. The right people will strengthen you. Healthy boundaries will protect your peace. The right environment will support your purpose instead of draining it.

Choose your shoes wisely.

The journey is long enough without making every step harder than it needs to be.

- Efosa Eluma