The Tennis Shoes 

“A wise man will hear and will increase learning. “

 

   “A wise son heareth his father’s instruction”

 

 

There are lessons to be learned in our daily lives, if we will be open our minds and when we are rebuked, and realize that we can learn and do better!  My Dad’s rebukes (lessons) always make me a better person, when I listen, and I was reminded while reading Proverbs, “He who he loves he corrects!” I was very loved and was blessed with the best parents who taught me the important lessons in life.

The Tennis Shoes Lesson

 

 When I was young, I loved to play outside, and one game I loved to play was football with my buddies. Playing a lot of football and playing on dirt and in the street, it seemed like I went through a lot of tennis shoes. Tennis shoes were what we wore, and I never really thought about the brand or the style much until one time I saw a commercial for a pair of green and white tennis shoes.  I was enamored with the color and the look.  I guess somehow, I thought if I had a pair of tennis shoes like those, I would be able to run faster, jump higher and overall, just look cool.  

 

When my current pair wore out, I was hoping to get a new pair of green and white, cool shoes; However, when my dad brought home my new shoes, they we not the new style green and white shoes. The new pair fit perfectly and, truth be told a lot better for the money, the green and white pair were very expensive due to the fact it was a new brand of shoes. I learned later in life that sometimes you pay more for the name than the actual quality; however, at that time but being young and immature I had not learned that lesson yet. 

After just getting the new tennis shoes I headed out the door right when a game of football was getting going.  The lot that we were playing in was muddy, which made it fun to play football, but it was not good for brand new tennis shoes.  After, playing for an hour or so of playing, I headed home.  I was not thinking much about the mud or my new tennis shoes when I went into the garage. Inside the garage was our car, a 1967 Green Impala and my Father. When I emerged from behind the car my Father looked at the mud all over me and then looked down at the brand new tennis shoes he had just given me a few hours before. He looked surprised and a little frustrated of course. “Not the best way to treat new shoes, Daren. Why didn’t you just wear your old shoes?” His question was a great question, and I should have learned from that simple question, as he was 100 percent right.  I still to this day don’t understand why I said what I said next.  The words still haunt me, but in some ways because I said them, I learned one of my greatest lessons. 

 

 

“What does the mud really matter? They are just crappy brand shoes anyway!”. I said, kind of quiet but loud enough for my Father to hear.   I knew as soon as I said those words it was wrong. The shoes we not crappy, I was just acting like a spoiled kid.  But, I had said the words, and then I saw the look on my dad’s face, and it was not a look for happiness!  I had hurt him, and just as bad or worse, I had not been in the least grateful for his hard work and his sacrifice in making my life very easy. I had the best of all I needed, and he made it possible.  Anyway, the smugness of my words, and the total lack of respect and gratitude was more than he could stand.  In a flash he took off after me and to this day I give thanks for the 1966 Green Impala that I was able to run around while he chased me around the car trying to catch me.  He was moving so fast I still don’t know how I stayed in front of him, but I did.  As I was circling the Impala, I was apologizing fast and furious, as this lesson was sinking in fast and sinking in deep.  I had been a jerk and thankfully my Dad could sense I meant my apology and somehow the lesson of respect and gratitude was learned.  After a few more circles running around the car, he calmed down and we both stopped. I told him how sorry I was, and I truly meant it and to this day I still mean my words of apology.  Frankly I still am embarrassed at myself and my actions that day for the way I acted.  What a great lesson and I believe it was the first and last time, I ever showed a lack of respect and a lack of gratitude for all the amazing things my Father has done for me and our entire family.  I am also thankful for our Green 1966 Impala that saved my life that day 

 

A wise son heareth his father’s instruction, and I must add a wise son also watches and learns from his Father’s actions, and if he does he is blessed.