Dear Group, I received the following poem from a member of another list today on the subject of Grandma's shoes and I just had to share it with all of you and then add my own observations after it. Grandma's Shoes (a poem for women only) When I was very little All the Grandmas that I knew All walked around this world In ugly grandma shoes. You know the ones I speak of, Those black clunky heeled kind, They just looked so very awful That it weighed upon my mind. For I knew, when I grew old, I'd have to wear those shoes! I'd think of that from time to time, It seemed like such bad news. I never was a rebel, I wore saddle shoes to school, And next came the ballerinas, Then the sandals...pretty cool! And then came spikes with pointed toes, Then platforms, very tall, As each new fashion came along I wore them, one and all. But always, in the distance, Looming in my future, there, Was that awful pair of ugly shoes, The kind that Grandmas wear. I eventually got married And then I became a Mom; Our kids grew up and left, And when their children came along.... I knew I was a Grandma And the time was drawing near When those clunky, black, old lace up shoes Was what I'd have to wear! How would I do my gardening Or take my morning hike? I couldn't even think about How I would ride my bike! But fashions kept evolving And one day I realized That the shape of things to come Was changing, right before my eyes. And now, when I go shopping What I see, fills me with glee, For in my jeans and Reeboks I'm as comfy as can be. And I look at all these teenage girls And there, upon their feet Are clunky, black old Grandma shoes, And they think they're really neat! Group, I remember so clearly my own grandma's shoes. Yes, they were black and clunky and they laced up the front. And I knew way back then that if you ever had to wear such shoes, your fashion days were definitely over! Grandma was born in 1871 and died in 1951. A couple of years afterward I found myself in the Navy having to wear my own pair of GI Grandma Shoes. In fact we WAVES actually called them Granny Shoes! They were black, they laced up the front and they had clunky heals and we hated them!! But do you know what? They were really comfortable and I still treasure the pair of those Government Issue shoes that I still have and that still have a brilliant spit shine on them. Those shoes and I marched to many a drum in those days, I'll tell you. As I recall, back in the 1970s they actually became fashionable! I couldn't believe it! Clunky Grandma shoes? And now 30 years later, they're back in style. Only it's the next generation now--the great-great-grandchildren of my grandma! Now I'd like to give you some advice as to what to say when your children or grandchildren make disparaging remarks about the ugly clothes that Grandma wears. But from experience, I know that they will never believe you if you tell them that the clunky stuff she's wearing now, will be the fashion statement next year! I know that you just couldn't tell them that with a straight face. And franklly I can't believe it either!! (tee hee!) vee