Special Occasions

I was asked to hang a picture…too lazy to go out to my garage and get a hammer…I dug around in Fibber McGee’s closet looking for my wife’s tool box. That’s where I came across a little wooden shoebox (a little shoe-polish stand), that my number two son built when he was in grade school. Long forgotten with all its polish, brushes and rags…I wondered; “When was the last time I shined my shoes?” As a kid I remember having to shine my shoes every Sunday before church. We, my three siblings and I, would get dressed in our Sunday best and fall-in for inspection. Then the shoe shine thing was necessary because it was the only pair of shoes we owned and after a week of going to school and playing in the same Buster Browns it was imperative to apply a little color to the façade. The cool kids had sneakers like PF Flyers or Keds, the really cool kids wore Converse All Stars; we wore brown oxfords.

Times have changed, now I own several pair of Nikes, NBs and Reeboks in all different stages of worn-outness…each assigned to a particular function or occasion…from dirty jobs to formal wear. And then there are the thirty year old wingtip dress shoes that go with my thirty year old suit; only worn on very special occasions. Admittedly, both suit and shoes have very low mileage. This apparently accounts for them never needing to be polished.

As of late I have changed my thinking about what constitutes a “special occasion”. I have come to the conclusion that Sunday Mass is the most special occasion and have brought my old suit and shoes out of retirement. I have even given some consideration to the purchase of a new “Sunday Best” outfit…much to the delight of my wife.

Thank you, Lord Jesus, for sturdy shoes and sturdy parents.
Thank you for putting a shine on my life.
Thank you…most of all…for special occasions.
Amen