Shoes

I went to Academy to buy a pair of running shoes, as my Asics were at the end of their life. I don't make very much day by day, and so tend to wait to replace clothes until I absolutely have to. As I looked at the prices, which I at first thought were reasonable, I realized that, for many people, myself included, one pair of shoes was the same as a half day's worth of work, if not an entire day, for the more expensive ones.

Last week, while in class, we learned about how expensive it once was to own a pair of good sandals in the ancient near east. During the time of Amos, owning a pair of sandals was a sign of wealth, since they would have had to travel all the way to Damascus in order to obtain a custom made pair. Because of this, the poor had to make do with cheaply made foot-wear, while those in the lap of luxury were comfortable in their protected feet. I know that it seems ridiculous that we could ever reach such extremes between the upper of lower classes of people, but is that not what happens when it comes to food, another one of our basic necessities?

I wonder how long it will take before we begin to repeat ourselves yet again.