Hans’ shoes

I was wondering whether to start this story with “Once upon a time” when the story has nothing to do with time and space. It’s always about here and now. It’s about us and our fears and how easily we can project them no matter where, when and how. The story about Hans and his old, worn-out shoes is a metaphor of how we live our fears in life, and how these fears hold us back to achieve anything that we want to make us happy, self-confident and content.

And so, Hans was a poor man, living among other poor people in a small village, hidden from the whole world. Nobody was interested in that place and the people who were living there. From time to time they were getting some help in the form of old, ragged clothes and shoes. At least they had something to cover their bodies. That’s how Hans grew up, being taught to be grateful for what he had, for he may lose everything and be perished by the severe weather conditions.

Hans was wearing his old shoes, which were nearly three sizes smaller than his feet. Each morning it was an enormous struggle to put them on, knowing that the day would be a nightmare. The tortures to take the shoes off were even harder in the evenings. His feet were covered with blisters and wounds, and it was almost impossible to step on them. Evening after evening he was watching how his feet were losing their natural shape and the ability to walk as well.

It was one of those hard evenings, when watching his crippled feet, he burst into tears. He was crying and asking for any help to come his way. And just to make this story real, a little angel came to him. The angel healed and turned his feet back into their natural form so that he could stay and walk on them again. But that was not everything that Hans got! The angel gave him as well a brand new pair of soft leather shoes, which were perfectly matching the size of his feet.

Hans was the happiest man in the world as he was not just walking, but almost flying in his new shoes. Unfortunately, his happiness did not last long, as somebody stole his lovely shoes. It’s useless to ask why or whether that one could put them on. They were just lovely and that one wanted them badly. And there was Hans once again sitting and asking for some help, and waiting for the little angel to come back with another pair of lovely shoes.

No matter how long he cried and prayed, the angel did not come back. Hans should go on with his life and make a choice – to put on his worn-out shoes again or to go barefoot. He quickly recalled the pain and the severe damages which the old shoes left on his feet, and the hardships as well. He looked at his feet, looking healthy and strong, and took the brave decision in his life to go barefoot, no matter how scary it looked in the eyes of the others.

Hans learned how and where to step, what could hurt or feel nice, but above all, he learned how to protect his feet. He realised his needs and what to do to comfort them. And then he learned how to make his own shoes. He was no longer afraid that somebody could steal them as he was quite experienced to make another pair of shoes for himself in no time. He was no longer afraid to go barefoot again, as that was the most natural thing life could offer him.