THE DIRTY LEATHER SHOES
An old man met a few boys in the fields, cleaning up after a storm. He noticed one boy wearing no shoes, only thick woolen socks. He called the boy over and said, "You are risking injury. Why aren’t you wearing shoes, young boy?"
The boy replied, "I lost my shoes two weeks ago. I've been going home with bruised and scratched feet ever since."
The old man paused, then took out four shoes from his bag. One pair was clean and beautiful; the other pair was dirty and soiled. He asked the boy, "Clean shoes or dirty shoes? Choose one."
The boy glanced at the shoes and answered, "I prefer the dirty shoes, sir."
Surprised, the old man asked, "Why did you choose the dirty shoes over the clean ones?"
The boy smiled and said, "I do a lot of dirty work, so I don't need clean shoes. If I work with the clean shoes, they'll become dirty anyway. And most importantly, the dirty shoes are made of leather, while the clean ones are synthetic. Leather is more durable and will last much longer. So, no matter how dirty the leather shoes are, I still prefer them over the clean synthetic ones."
The old man smiled broadly, showing gaps from missing teeth, and nodded. He muttered,
"You are absolutely right. Listen, that's how life is. Sometimes we become like dirty shoes. People will tarnish your image, smear your personality, and spread rumors about you. They will throw mud to stain your character, making you appear filthy like the dirty leather shoes. Let them say what they want. Because no matter what they do, they cannot destroy your true character or take away your good deeds. You will still shine as you are. Those who truly know you will recognize your worth and appreciate you for who you are."
~ Author Unknown
"The way we treat people we disagree with is a report card on what we've learned about love, compassion, and kindness".
~ Marc Chernoff.
Welp that explains my crazy hats and bright colors. I call them my conversation props.