By Jackson 
I never expected my grandmother to be the one to convince me.
She shuffled into the living room one sunny afternoon, holding a pair of soft, airy shoes full of holes and said, “I tried those gardening shoes you left here. They’re actually kind of wonderful.” She wiggled her toes with a grin that could only be described as mischievous.
I laughed. My grandmother, the queen of sturdy leather slippers, had fallen for the same shoes my six-year-old niece had decorated with dinosaur stickers last week.
And so began the unexpected family trend.
My niece was the first. Her pair had sparkles and charms shaped like strawberries and kittens. She wore them with socks that never matched and stomped through puddles like a superhero. For her, it was all about play—running, climbing, splashing. The shoes bent with her mood and moved with her spirit.
Then there was me—somewhere in the middle of it all. I wore mine to the farmers’ market, the gym, even once to a brunch (paired with wide-leg pants and a flowy top to balance the quirky vibe). I liked how they made no demands: slip them on, and you’re ready for whatever. It was fashion, but without the fuss.
But my grandmother? Hers were different.
She chose a calm, neutral shade. Nothing flashy, just comfort. She wore them in the garden, in the kitchen, and for her evening walks around the block. What surprised me most was when she wore them to church one Sunday—paired with a soft cardigan and her favorite brooch. “Why not?” she said. “They’re easy to wear, and they don’t make my feet ache.”
That’s when it clicked.
These shoes didn’t belong to a single age group. They weren’t about trends or “cool” or what social media said. They were about feeling good. Whether you were 6 or 76, they adapted to you—not the other way around.
Last weekend, we all ended up at the park—my niece zooming around the slide, me balancing an iced coffee and a book, my grandma sitting on a bench, waving to us with that same mischievous grin.
Three people, three different lives, one style of shoe.
Same comfort.
Same ease.
Same joy.