These boots are made for…

Yesterday, I had the privilege of instructing other lawyers about appellate advocacy. I had the privilege of instructing with other Court of Appeal, Superior Court, Court of Justice Judges and senior members of the Bar. I really enjoy days like this. I feel like I am truly part of a community – a profession coming together on a cold and rainy Saturday, with torrential winds, to exchange ideas and help each other.

Whenever I have moments like this, I make sure my mom is a part of the moment. Since she is no longer here, I feel like I have her support when I wear something that she gifted me or used to belong to her and was passed down to me, and yesterday was no different. I chose an outfit the night before, ensuring it was ironed and ready to go with accessories. That morning, with the rain, I decided I needed boots and I had not worn a pair of beautiful black boots my mom had given me in a while.

My mom gave me these boots in high school. We did not have a lot of money for frills growing up, but my mom always found a way through her sewing and good eye, to ensure that my brother and I were well dressed and presented well. She taught me not to dress with trends, but with what suited me and looked good on me. When I was in high school, all the girls had these gorgeous leather boots, and I knew we did not have the money for them, so I did not ask, but my mom knew. My mom, years ago and before I was born, had worked at Simpsons, the premier department store in Toronto. She purchased a lot of great items there, including a pair of black leather boots, with a gorgeous fur like lining. She really took care of those boots and kept them polished and in great condition.

So in high school, when she saw all the girls wearing great boots, she decided to pass the boots down to me and I loved those boots. They were honestly the nicest footwear I had ever worn. However, the calves were way too big for me, but thankfully, if I wore jeans or narrow pants, they looked just right and I carefully picked the occasions when I would wear them and show them off.

I remember wearing them to go out with my mom once, and a woman stopped me and offered me cash for the boots. I looked at my mom and she gave me a look that said, “I told you”. She knew how great the boots were, and of course, I thanked the woman for the compliment, but politely declined her offer, no matter how tempting.

Through the years, I have selected when to wear the boots but with the pandemic and changing my commute, I have not worn the boots in a while. The last time I had worn them, they were still a little bit big and needed me to wear thicker leggings or skinny jeans with them. But yesterday, I was wearing a dress and I thought, let me just see if they will work with my look.

I had them at the side of my closet, with boot fillers within them, so there are no creases in the height of the boot. I pulled them out, and put them on and…they fit like a glove.

And I felt like crying, because my legs were the same size as my mom when she first bought them and I felt a real connection with her. It was a special feeling and carried me through the day. My mom and her pieces always give me extra confidence and I needed that yesterday.

And when I came home in the afternoon, one daughter came to the door and I told her that I was wearing grandma’s boots and she was impressed. And I was so happy to complete the moment by saying that one day, she and her sister would get the boots to cherish and keep the connection going.

My heart was full.

But that’s just one Diva’s view.

#connection #thesebootsaremadeforwalking #missyoumom