Guest Blogger: Christina Decker
When I was around two years old, I decided to put my small feet into a pair of my mom’s high heels. As I toddled around the house, barely able to keep the pretty shoes from sliding off, I proclaimed with a grimace “ooh these are too tight!”
Thinking about the little girl I was, aspiring to fill those high-heels and then some, reminded me of Dubai. No, not just because they probably sell the most Louboutin’s here than any other place in the world, but because like many of us, this city has super-size dreams for it’s growth. When you look around and see the rapid transformation of this desert city, it’s difficult to actually believe this country only began in the 1970’s. What has been achieved in such a relatively short period of time is astounding.
Directly across from the World’s Tallest Building, there is a neighborhood called Jumeira. The other day, as I drove through this residential area, I could see the modern and magnificent Burj Khalifa looming in front of me. Then, as I turned the corner, my car had to slow for a rooster crossing the road. A bit further down was a housemaid using a dried palm frond to sweep sand off a driveway. The juxtaposition of this unpretentious scene against the modern backdrop was a reminder to not just focus on all things newer, bigger and better. Newer and bigger are not necessarily better, they’re just different. There’s beauty in a shiny new building, and there’s beauty in the simplicity of a palm frond being used as a broom. Sometimes, I can get caught up in the daily allure of the glitz and sparkle of Dubai, but in an instant, I can just as easily get jolted back to the now. All it takes is a rooster crossing the street, or a Pakistani man in his sensible sandals riding his old bicycle down the road, pulling a lawn mower behind him, to remind me of where I really am. A growing city in an emerging country.
We are all a bit like a growing city in an emerging country. Impatient to achieve our growth, it becomes easy to overlook the simple, daily things that also bring joy, as they tend to get over-shadowed by the large-scale dream. Like Dubai, we all aspire to fill some pretty big high heels of our own, but in the process of growing into them let’s not forget that sexy stilettos may give the illusion of a better-looking leg, but living your entire life in just high heels will lead to some pretty sore feet. It’s all about balance. As you grow and emerge, don’t let the appeal of those glamorous heels keep you from wearing sensible, vintage flats every now and then while walking your own journey. There’s room in every girl’s closet for both.
