End of an era

My very first pair of Birkenstocks are going away today.

I bought these shoes 18 years ago when I was in Germany. (Yes, you read that correctly. 18 years.)

At the time, Birkenstocks weren't popular in the US, and when I wore them I got loads of teasing about my "ugly shoes." I wore them anyway, almost every day in appropriate weather. They were extremely comfortable and I just plain liked them.

Just a couple of years later, they were all the rage on my college campus. I found this highly amusing, considering these were the same people who made fun of my shoes in the first place.

It was time to let them go. They just weren't as comfortable any more, and they tended to rub a little if I wore them for longer than a couple of hours. I feel a little silly for feeling so nostalgic about them, but I do anyway.

I suppose this gives me a reason to find another pair. :)