So, the other day, I found myself doing something a bit… unconventional. You could say I was experimenting. The subject of this experiment? A shoe. On my head. Yeah, you heard that right. It wasn’t for any grand purpose, no deep philosophical reason. Sometimes, you just gotta try weird stuff, you know? Life gets a bit too samey otherwise.
It all started pretty innocently. I was tidying up, saw my old running shoe, and this thought just popped in there: “I wonder if I could balance that on my head?” Next thing I knew, I was actually considering it. My first challenge, naturally, was selecting the right footwear for this cranial adventure. Couldn’t be too heavy, or too dirty – definitely not the muddy garden clogs. I rummaged around and picked out a fairly lightweight trainer. It had a reasonably flat sole, which I figured would help. Cleaned off a bit of dust, didn’t want any grit raining down on me.
Alright, shoe selected. I stood in the middle of my living room, took a deep breath – felt a bit daft, honestly – and carefully lifted the shoe. My first attempt was a total bust. Placed it up there, and whoosh, it slid right off the side. Nearly hit a lamp. Okay, lesson learned: this wasn’t as easy as it looked in cartoons. I tried again. And again. It was a clumsy affair for a good few minutes. The shoe just wouldn’t stay put. It either toppled forward, backward, or slid off like it had a mind of its own.
I realized I had to be really still. Like, super still. I focused on a spot on the wall, tried to keep my neck straight, and very, very gently placed the shoe. This time, it stayed! For about three seconds. Progress! I kept at it. I started to get a feel for the balance point, how to adjust my posture ever so slightly. It was all in the neck and tiny movements of my torso. I even managed to take a few tentative steps. Walking was a whole new level of difficulty. Each step was a gamble. I felt like one of those circus performers, but much, much less graceful, and with significantly less impressive props.
The feeling was… strange. Partly ridiculous, of course. I mean, I’m a grown person with a shoe on their head. But also, it required a surprising amount of concentration. You can’t be thinking about your grocery list or what’s on TV when you’re trying to keep a sneaker from dive-bombing your nose. My neck started to feel it a bit too, holding that pose. I spent maybe a good ten minutes on this little escapade. Even managed a slow, careful turn at one point. Victory!
So, what profound insights did I gain from this practice? Honestly, not a whole lot that’s going to change the world. But it was a laugh. It broke the monotony of the day. It reminded me that sometimes doing something utterly pointless can be, well, fun. It’s also a surprisingly good, if slightly absurd, way to practice focus. You really have to be in the moment. No deep thoughts, no complex problem-solving, just you and the shoe, defying gravity, however briefly.
I suppose if there’s any takeaway, it’s that sometimes we get so caught up in being serious and productive. But a little bit of silliness, a little bit of “why not?” can actually be quite refreshing. Didn’t write a paper on it, didn’t submit it for peer review. Just put a shoe on my head, had a giggle, and moved on. And you know what? My day felt a tiny bit lighter afterwards.
