Once upon a time, there was a very small girl named Sophie. Her favorite thing in all the world was shoes! No really! Her mother used to put her in her room, open the bottom drawer of her dresser, and there to her wild and wondrous imagination was a treasure chest filled with shoes! Brightly colored shoes, shiny patent leather shoes, flowery little sneakers, and her favorite – pink “clicky” shoes! Sophie, as a very small girl, played with her shoes for hours, mixing and matching while her imagination soared.

One bright morning, Sophie’s mom opened the drawer for her to play. It wasn’t long before a strangled cry startled her mother who then came running to see what was the matter. “Sophie, dear, what on earth is wrong?”

“I’ve lost my shoe! I’ve lost my shoe!” she stomped, her tears freely flowing.

“No worries, my sweet! This used to be me! Let’s see where this shoe could be!” Mom said. “Is it under your bed; please look and see. Is it under your dresser; please look and see. Is it under the rug; please look and see! I don’t see where, oh where your shoe has gone.” Mom stood with her hands on her hips and gazed around Sophie’s room.

She thought back to the days of her own girlhood with a sigh of sweet nostalgia. A stiff tug on her shirttail and that all-too-familiar “mommy,” startled her back to the trauma at hand. She turned and picked up her little bundle of fun and gave her a quick snuggle, then whispered in her ear, “Do you think your shoe might have crawled under your blanket?”

Sophie squealed with delight as she ran to her bed and peeked under the blanket. Lo and behold it was there! Sophie gave mom’s leg a quick hug and dove back into the play. As a parent, they never tell you that part! it wasn’t long at all before the lost shoe was forgotten. Things were never better!



Thanks so much to BEKINDREWRITE for her skilled encouragement and support in our mutual writing adventure!