Polished Shoes

When I was a girl, my father taught me to polish shoes. I don’t know who taught him–maybe his father, maybe someone in the navy–but I am a link in a chain that stretches back quite a way.
You live in the moment when you shine your shoes. Brush away the dirt, smooth on the polish, wait for the polish to dry (always the hardest part), brush the polish off with quick light strokes, buff the leather with a soft cloth.
When I’m finished, I walk away with spiffy shoes and a calm mind.