Crazy Socks

"It started out as a house warming gift," my friend held out a present wrapped in tissue and tucked into a pretty light turquoise gift bag. "But it turned into a foot warming gift instead." I rustled the tissue paper aside and pulled out a nice thick pair of socks in the perfect colors! Purples and turquoises and black and blues.



I didn't catch it at first - they didn't match. One had turquoise toes, the other purple toes. The patterns were very similar, but the order of colors differed! How unique - and how toasty warm! She told me they sell them in threes sometimes and you can pick which ones to wear and have three totally different mismatched sets!



It came with a card and a smile and a reminder to take time to rest and to care for myself. I do tend to get wound up in life. I need the reminder. Often. I put them back in the wrapping and set them on the piano in my bedroom to simply enjoy the delight of an unexpected gift for a few days.



But I couldn't resist them for long. I decided to wear them to work with black pants and a purple shirt. I was sure I would get a bazillion comments on their unique combination. But I was wrong. No one made any comments at all. I didn't get a rise out of anyone. Zip. Nada. Nothing. I guess it was too much to expect that people who are busy and running about with serious things to take care of should notice such a little thing. After all, *I* didn't even get it at first.



No matter. I love the socks. They keep my feet toasty and happy all day. Sometimes sitting in my office I turn freezing cold and have to get up and move, make a cup of tea, go stand by the fireplace for a few minutes (yes, we have TWO of them in the library!). In the seminar classroom where I spend four hours of quality time on Tuesday evenings I have taken to bringing a blanket to wrap up in since I can't leave the lecture just to warm up. Brrrr!



But these crazy socks prevent my feet from getting cold and the rest of me stays warmer. Now I wear them when I walk in the mornings - not because I am cold, but because the thick cushiony sock softens the jarring of foot on blacktop when the dew is too heavy to trod through. I lay them out carefully at night so I can just slide into them in the morning along with my Concordia hoodie (if they ever offer Northeastern Seminary stuff, I plan to get sweatpants from Santa for Christmas!).



I love these crazy mismatched socks. They are just like me. Best of all, they remind me that I have kind and thoughtful friends who also have a zest for life and who appreciate the fine art of taking care of yourself well with flair!