Summers in Texas get hot. Really hot. My only goal during those days of inferno-like temperatures is to KEEP COOL. T-shirts, shorts, cotton, and linen are precious items. But whoever invented the “flip-flop” should especially be praised. Being able to let my feet run fancy-free is a luxury that I especially enjoy. Not only are flip-flops a method of keeping my “toesies” available to moving air, they are also a wonderful thing to a mom who is busy chasing little ones and needs a quick shoe to slide on at a moments notice.
A few summers ago, my family went on vacation to a wonderful Christian family camp we’ve attended since I was a child. I packed with the heat in mind and, of course, stashed a variety of flip-flops to aid in my goal of keeping cool during our stay. Now, this camp experience strikes a nice balance between roughin’ it and being on a vacation. The accommodations are more like motels. There is a dining hall that serves up three square meals a day (and desserts at night). And although there are lots of places to walk where I need to be aware of where I step, there are also plenty of of sidewalks and paved walkways to utilize in getting around. So a mama in flip flops shouldn’t be any big deal, right?
So on a beautiful morning – one that was just the right temperature – I decided to slip on my flops and take a bit of a walk. My toes had just recently been primed and painted and I was anxious to let those babies see the light of day. I had dreams of enjoying time on a bench with my Bible in front of the lake before my family awoke so I quietly got dressed and slipped on my you-know-whats.
The path from my door to the main sidewalk was basically a small, sandy, clearing ladened with pine needles, pine cones, and pebbles. I was used to watching where my feet landed when I walked anywhere at this camp because the terrain could easily result in a stubbed toe or throbbing sole depending on what I kicked or stepped on. But not this morning. I wasn’t paying attention at all. I was so enthralled with the dew on the grass, and the birds singing their morning songs. I wasn’t paying attention at all.
I was barely conscious of the benign slap of the shoe against the bottom of my feet as I walked down the path toward the sidewalk.
Slap-slip. Slap-slip. Slap-slip…SQUISH!
I stopped cold. My head was reeling with the possibilities of what had just happened, afraid of what my next move would reveal. .
Sorry… this post was really long…so I spread it over a couple of days. Be sure to read Part II!
Awww it was getting good…until tomorrow
Love it! I’ve been running errands all day in this Texas heat…. With my flip flops on!
Hard to do anything BUT flip flops in TX!
No you didn’t!
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