Red Glitter Shoes

One of my favorite human beings on the planet Earth is Emma. Emma is the five year old daughter of Mary Catherine, a third grade teacher in the classroom next door to mine. Emma is a precocious, darling, kindergarten charmer who first won my heart when I held her as a baby during teachers' meetings.


I saw Emma recently and saw that she had on Red Glitter Shoes. I told her, "Oh, Emma! Those shoes are so wonderful and sparkly. Wow!"

Emma looked so proud in her Red Glitter Shoes.

Then Mary Catherine said, Mr. R., those are special shoes. Those are her Red Glitter Shoes. I bought a pair of Red Glitter Shoes many years ago when it looked like George and I weren't going to be able to have children. We had tried and tried, but it was pretty obvious that we weren't going to have any children, and I was so upset and depressed about it. Then, one day in the Wal-Mart I saw a pair of Red Glitter Shoes. My heart just sank thinking about how I would never be able to buy shoes like that for my real daughter, so I bought them anyway. I don't know why. I just wanted to be able to buy them, even if they were for a little girl I would never have. I put them in the closet and they sat in there for a few years. Then Emma was born, and I was so happy I bought those shoes!"

I looked at Emma's shoes and said, "Are these the pair you bought and put in the closet?"

She laughed and said, "Oh no! She wore out those shoes long ago. These are her third pair of Red Glitter Shoes!"

Emma looked so proud of her Red Glitter Shoes. Almost as proud as her mother.