02/23/2026
Last week, I unexpectedly had to travel to Richmond, VA, to tend to a heavy and heartbreaking family matter. My flight arrived early, I had time to kill, and I was dreading stepping back into a place I swore I'd never return to. My jaw was clenched, and my chest was tight as I quickly made my way toward the car rental area when suddenly, I spotted a shoe shine stand.
I was surprised to see it, but I was even more surprised by how much comfort seemed to be emanating from inside. The stand itself, the presence of the man dutifully shining the shoes, and even the customer casually reading his newspaper as his black Doc Martin's were brought back to life. They all exuded a kind of warmth that pulled me in.
My own dull brown boots stained with salt from Vermont sidewalks confirmed my impulse as I sat down to wait my turn. I'd never had my shoes shined before, and I welcomed a reason to delay my fully arriving to the situation that awaited me beyond the airport.
Michael, the owner, welcomed me with a smile while assisting me up onto the booth. We effortlessly chatted a little about the news, why I was in town, and how he took over the stand from his father who started back in the 1960s, noting how shoe shining has nearly become as rare as just talking to one another the way we were.
My boots never looked better, and my heart felt lighter, too. I thanked Michael, tipped him generously, and he sent me off with his sincere wishes that things would be OK.
The rest of my trip was pretty tough. My flights home were delayed, requiring me to stay an extra night when I was desperate to return home, but it meant that I crossed paths with Michael one more time before I departed. I thanked him again, and he gently asked if things turned out alright. I just looked down and said,"No, not really." He responded by holding both of my hands in his and saying, "Well, at least you showed up, and you tried."
It is a blessing to have had Michael's kindness ease both my arrival and my departure, and I've returned home with greater appreciation for shoe shining, for kindness, and for just showing up and doing our best. And, my boots have never looked better.
