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Gratitude

As I was thinking about how much I like my old, comfortable red sport shoes, I became grateful for having them. Then I thought about all the animals, plants and people connected to my red shoes. Without these plants, animals, and people I wouldn’t have my shoes, so I decided to extend my gratitude to them.

I am most grateful to the cow. It made the biggest contribution and sacrifice. It gave up its skin for the leather to make the outer shoe and the fancy suede trimming.

I am grateful to the farmer who raised the cow. I am grateful to the growers who produced the grain for the cow. I am grateful to the tanner for making the leather baby soft. I am grateful to the dyer who gave the leather the distinctive Chinese red color.

I am grateful to the rubber tree for the rubber for the comfortable soles of my red shoes and to all the people connected with growing the rubber tree and harvesting the rubber. And I am grateful to the cotton plant that produced the cotton for the strong white shoe laces that keep my red shoes comfortably on my feet even if I walk long distances. I’m grateful for rain and sunshine that allowed the trees and plants to grow.

I am grateful to all the people involved in the transportation of the leather, the rubber and the cotton to the factory. I am grateful for the shoe designer who designed my red shoes and I am grateful all the workers who cut the leather, molded the soles, stitched and assembled them. And I am grateful for the people who made the orange cardboard box that my shoes came in. I am grateful to the store that put the shoes on sale and to the sales clerk who sold them to me.

And I’m grateful to all the families and friends of all the people involved in producing, transporting and selling my red shoes. And for all the people who grew, raised, processed, produced, packaged, transported and sold all the food that keeps the shoe makers and their families and friends alive.

I have a lot to be grateful for.