Polishing Shoes

I was just polishing my shoes and my roommate asked "Is that how you polish shoes like in real life?"

"Yes, yes it is."

I polish my leather shoes the old school way with a rag and shoe polish that comes in a tin and a brush (except I don't have one). I know most people now don't use shoe polish anymore. They either have shoes that don't need shoe polish or they use the "fake" version or they just don't polish their shoes, not bothering to put in the effort.

My dad taught me how to polish shoes. I remember as a little girl following him excitedly to his bedroom where we would spread newspapers around us as we sat crosslegged on the floor. I remember putting my hand in his big shoe and lifting it up. Getting the crumbling black polish all over my hands and watching with excitement as he buffed the polished shoe and the matte black suddenly became glossy. 

My mom tells stories about how when she was a girl it was her chore every Saturday to line up her families Sunday shoes and polishing them all, all ten pairs.

I have also heard quite a few talks and thoughts that tie in spiritual ideas to polishing shoes. 

I like how peaceful it is to sit there and rub the polish into the leather and put that little effort into maintaining something that has served me well. 

So to me polishing shoes is tied up with a bunch of seemingly unrelated ideas and thoughts:

• Quality time with my Dad
• Peace
• Service
• Keeping the Sabbath Day Holy
• Heritage
• Renewal

How often do we end up associating menial tasks with deeper feelings, emotions, stories, etc.