Destined Pair

We sat wallowing in our loneliness until the day our box moved,
not to be pushed aside but to be picked up by our new owner.

Fate had inscribed us with the 9 that brought her to us.
Chosen because we were 50% off and happened to be her size.

Our laces tied, our insides filled not with tissue paper, but with
the weight that would allow us to make our imprint on the world.

Again, we found ourselves sitting on a shelf among others,
but this time the shelf of the chosen, not the forgotten.

They stared, admiring our brilliance as we stood together
with our curves in perfect alignment.

We braved sweat and rough terrain together, feeling
textures our sheltered life had not prepared us for.

Fate had also inscribed us with an expiration date.

We felt ourselves wearing with each step, saw our brilliance
fade to a wrinkled dingy brown.

With our new vow to seize the pavement, we tried
each day to put our best foot forward.

Passing by others who had a bit more pep in their step,
we remembered our glory days and smiled.

Eventually, we knew it was time to let go. We tied up our loose
ends and allowed ourselves to be put in the box, this time

for good.