Running Shoes
When I realized minimalism is understanding what you really need
🎬 Sometimes the story keeps writing itself even after it ends – A behind-the-scenes moment is waiting at the end of this post, for The Secret Journey members only.
📍Da Nang, Vietnam
The instructions I received before arriving at the paragliding activity said to come in comfortable clothes and with closed shoes suitable for running.
Okay, comfortable clothes - check.
Sneakers - disappeared in Hanoi.
I'd been dreading the moment I'd need to buy new shoes, because that was my best excuse for not going to the gym. And here I'd have to deal with it again. Shit.
I realized I shouldn't show up in flip-flops, so I searched Google (yes, sometimes I still do that) for a shoe store, and found two in my area. From my familiarity with Vietnam, tons of stores, restaurants, and coffee shops don't appear on Google, so I thought it would be right to ask locals.
I asked the lovely representative at the hotel reception where I could find sneakers, and she recommended one of the stores I'd seen on Google. Wonderful.
I arrived there in the evening, and after the first fitting, I realized I hadn't worn shoes in a long time. What a joy that was! It felt like a sense of freedom - yes, even when it comes to freedom for feet. Because I hadn't worn work shoes, sneakers, or heels. I'd simply been with my flip-flops everywhere.
This is much beyond freedom for feet - this is freedom for the soul.
For a moment, a thought crossed my mind: "Should I'll buy shoes just to do this one activity?" Thinking about their volume in my suitcase, about how much I don't want to buy clothing and footwear.
But I realized that if I decided to change habits and take care of my body, then yes, I'd also need sneakers to do that. Thinking about girls who have dozens of pairs of shoes, and here I am with two pairs of flip-flops, debating whether to buy a pair of sneakers I need.
Minimalism is a challenge. And not a challenge to reduce, but the opposite - to understand that there are things I need.
What surprised me when I tried on the shoes was that I felt so uncomfortable in sneakers. I thought it might be the size, or that I needed a wider model because I have wide feet, but it was really uncomfortable.
After consulting with GPT, it suggested I try several things. One of them was a much larger size, and so I found myself trying on size 42, when in Israel I was 39-40.
And here, I feel comfortable.
That's fine, you can call me Bigfoot from now on. I never thought I'd wear a shoe this size.
When I asked the saleswoman (embarrassedly), she said that because these are imitations, the sizes aren't exactly like in Europe. Truth is, I didn't think these were original shoes for $25, and I don't really care about the brand. Just that I'd be comfortable.
And here I embraced the shoes I bought in size 42, because they were so comfortable!
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