Love flip-flops
Visala Arunachalam
Flip-flops don’t need a leap of faith, they’re just asking you to try something new.
Think about the first time you put on a pair of flip-flops. Do you remember the snap-crackle that follows every step? What about the marvelously loose grip they have on your feet?
We live in a society where the broad spectrum of footwear is narrowed to the stock standard close-toed shoes, blistering heels, stylish-but-uptight boots and ugly Crocs. The only acceptable footwear in the office or at school require our feet to be cramped, conceited and confined.
But why? Does this not seem suffocating? Or just plain boring? Don’t our feet deserve some freedom? Why should we let society decide what goes on our feet?
Instead we should embrace the “fashion-terrorists” and “rebels” of the shoe world: flip-flops! The cousins of going barefoot whose middle name might as well be freedom.
Think about the first time you put on a pair of flip flops. Do you remember the snap-crackle that follows every step? What about the marvelously loose grip they have over your feet? Oh and don’t forget about the glee that comes when you can wiggle your toes as you please?
We should embrace the “fashion-terrorists” and “rebels” of the shoe world: flip-flops!
After all, what is the first thing that comes to mind when flip-flops are mentioned? A trip to the beach! A beaming sun. The heat-soaked sand, and our flip-flops burrowing in that sand. Immediately slipping them off and running into the dancing waves. Surfing against the refreshing breeze, exploring the world underwater. And returning to those flip-flops at the end of the day. Free and fulfilled.
But why restrict them to just the beach? Everywhere we go, flip-flops coax our inner child out to play. Wearing them, we can go beyond the cramped classroom. And the mundane, recycled schedules of existing. And out into a sunny, spring meadow. A lively elementary-school playground, an amusement park. Or back into the sweet, soft comforts of our bedsheets. Flip flops fly us even beyond our imaginations into a whole new world of freedom and possibility.
So why should we hold back from all the “flip-flop-fun”?
Flip-flops bear no weight, almost literally. Their easy slip-on and off structure allows us to live each moment without being anchored down by the burdens of the world. Unlike close-toed shoes which typically require a good minute of shaking-off or untying, flip-flops go on and off effortlessly. They don’t allow a pause in the flow of our movement.
So why not take a chance? Strip off those overbearing close-toed shoes. Release yourself from that self-inflicted caging and give your feet a much needed breath of fresh air. Slip on some flip-flops and skip into the sunset!
Nayja decided to join the Wildcat Tribune because she enjoyed writing and being part of the journalism community seemed interesting. Nayja has been part of the Wildcat Tribune for two years, and she enjoys...
