It's the Little Things

Much as I love shoes I think I might love cheap rubber flips flops even more. I always have a pair and wear them until they break or are totally worn through. My most recent pair was nearly both and everytime I left the house in them (they are my favorite walking and hiking shoes, truly) I would think "These look like the shoes of a homeless person who is about to be a shoeless person". In fact, for the last couple weeks I've been wondering if they would break when I was out and leave me walking home barefoot (it's happened before). For the last few months I've been trying to no avail to replace them, I mean they're only $3-$5. I looked everywhere: the Chinese grocery, Target, Walgreen's, the 99cents store. Everywhere I looked they were either out of my size or they only had some that weren't the right kind -I don't want to wear flip flops with rhinestones on the strap spelling out "babe" and really I don't want any embellishments at all. I don't mind if they're a color (I love the two tone kind that have a white upper sole and a colored sole with straps in the same color) but my favorite are just the plain black. Anyway, I can't believe I haven't found a pair that were even passable for months. It's summer!!! They should be everywhere.
Today I was thinking about my flip flops a lot because I walked to the library and then also took the dogs for a long walk/hike combo and each time I left I wondered if I should change into the cheap sandals I bought as an alternate (but don't really like or find as comfortable as flip flops) but I didn't. And as I rounded a corner walking my dogs there was a little shopping bag at the edge of the sidewalk outside an apartment. It had a little sign on it that said "free" and right on top were a pair of black rubber flip flops. I saw them but at first wasn't going to take them. I have small feet and most people don't wear my size so I figured they'd probably be way too big. But my dog stopped to sniff around and I decided to go back and take a look. I pulled them out and checked the size but it was Brazilian (?) so I tried them on. Perfect fit. Funny thing. They're brand new and quite a bit sturdier built than the ones I usually find (or maybe they just seem that way because the ones I was wearing were so worn out). I tossed my old ones in the first trash can I found and have been wearing these ever since.
I love that this happened. It's one of those things that makes me feel like the universe cares about me. So simple but so perfect.