The Red Shoes is a story that was written by Hans Christian Anderson. It is about a young poor girl, who becomes obsessed with a pair of red shoes. To the young girl, the shoes are so beautiful. She can not keep her hands or eyes off them. She longs to put them on her feet and dance in them.
Sadly, her feet are cut off, which is the only way she can free herself of the red shoes, and she is left a cripple.
Side note: I have read that many of Hans Christian Anderson’s stories have a hint of eroticism about them.
And while red heels (black heels, high heels) and sex do go to together, like a hand and a glove, I have a different take on this story. (Oh, but don’t worry a post is coming on sex and heels)
The theme of this story is addiction.
Sometimes, I have to ask myself . . . “Do you really need another pair of shoes?”
There is something that happens to my body when I walk into a shoe store. My heart pounds and my pulse races, I become excited and anxious all in at once.
So many choices to choose from. And most times so little money to buy with.
I find myself trying on shoes even though I know I am not going to purchase them. I just have to see how I would look in them.
I eventually, go home empty- handed. However, I am concocting a plan in my mind of how and when I will get at least one pair of those shoes I tried on.
It’s is not only, ‘in the shoe store’, obsession, I find myself going to my favorite shoe sites online many days.
What separates me from this young girl? My self-control.
Unlike, the young girl who had to take a desperate measure to control herself, I know my limits.
I know I have other responsibilities. That I can not allow my family or myself to suffer because, I can not control my spending on shoes. I understand that I must save before I spend. I know that I only reward myself after I have achieved goals. I am a woman who lives on a budget.
Even, those women who have a larger budget need to be careful.
I recently, watched a show that dealt with women who were obsessive shoppers. Every day it seemed as if they were in the store shopping. Any time they had money, they spent it on something, even, if it was only a tube of lip gloss.
These women had high credit card bills. One was behind on her rent and facing eviction.
To me losing a roof over my head is not worth a pair of shoes.
Yet, for these women the seduction of shopping is controlling their lives.
And for some women, owning every shoe their heart desires is becoming a problem for them and those around them.
Remember ladies, an empowered woman does things smartly.
She only buys those heels if her budget will allow.
She only spends the money she has set aside for those heels. She does not take from her rent money.
And she knows that if she has a problem to seek help.
Because, the moral of The Red Shoes is not to allow an obsession to overtake you, causing you harm (or your feet).
