I wear prayers like shoes. Pull em on quiet each morning take me through the uncertain day.

Ruth Forman

Downtown

I have lived downtown for many years. Several cities. Several climates. Same situation. I have walked down my urban streets before things start to move and shake with daily traffic. It is not uncommon for people who have slept on street benches or in alleys to sleep as I make my way. Their humanity frames my path. They are my neighbors. I don’t know their names. Maybe they are veterans. Maybe they are parents. Maybe they are hungry or sick. Maybe they just lost their job or fled an abusive relationship. They are holy. Their story is mine if I open my arms wide enough to hold it.

Prayer

In her poem “Prayers Like Shoes,” Ruth Forman explains, “I wear prayers like shoes. Pull ’em on quiet each morning and take me through the uncertain day.” Shoes are strength. She shares that the most helpful advice her mother ever gave her was, “Girl, you go to God, and get you some good shoes, cause life ain’t steady ground.” If prayers are like shoes, prayer sustains. Prayer is essential and relevant. Prayer is foundational to life. Prayer is holy. 

Boots

When I lived in Cincinnati, a man slept on a bench on my block. He used his boots as a pillow. Worn boots often cradled his chin while he slept. The boots offered comfort. They protected him when he slept, supported him during the day, and made his world a bit less uncertain as he made his way. The boots were a prayer. They didn’t alleviate his suffering; they offered him strength. The boots were holy.

A Challenge

There is a challenge to the whole prayer-like shoes idea. If prayers are like shoes, we must make prayer a part of our lives in real and tangible ways. People can understand prayer differently. If prayer is constant and unceasing, we must pray even — and especially — when we feel alone and angry. If prayer is a conscious conversation with God, we see the holy throughout our world and tell about it. If prayer is about self-awareness, we live a mindful connection to our breath. If prayer is about finding oneness with others, we are loving and compassionate — no exceptions. Meister Eckhart reflects, “If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough.” In that sense, prayer is gratitude. When I think about it, prayer is about all of that. Prayer takes practice. Prayer guides. Prayer holds. Prayer is like shoes in that it protects, grounds, and sustains.