Shoelaces

- by Diana Li

Why people tie shoelaces

  -  by Charles Li

There are many actions in life that have become so routine that you don't even notice them anymore; you just do them.  Tying your shoelaces is one such example.  Everyday when you leave home, you put on your shoes and take the two pieces of string and tie them together.  It is such a simple action, but it is laced with meaning.

The obvious reason you tie your shoelaces is to tighten the shoe so that other people won't inadvertently (or purposely) trip you.  But this isn't the real reason.  Don't you believe a word of it.  There is a deeper, much more profound meaning.  The act of tying your shoelaces is a symbol of bringing a little order into the chaotic, unpredictable world. It is a personal gesture protesting the random and unexpected turns that life can take.  The tight knot on the shoe gives you sure footing.  You want to make sure every step is firmly placed.  Sometimes, the shoelaces unravel themselves and you stumble and fall.  Suddenly, you lose faith.  You don't want to get up.  It seems like the end of the world when you are sprawled on the ground, touching your stinging wounds, and staring down the long road ahead of you.  But you have to go on.  You have to face the fact that from time to time, you will fall.  It doesn't matter how tight you tie your shoelaces, or how many knots you make, they still manage to slip out of your carefully defined shape and into chaos.  All you can do is tie them up again and hope for the best.