Tying your shoes and growing up?

Everyone knows as you get older you become more cynical. You take things that once would have enamoured you for hours (like smelling beautiful flowers in the rain, or eating snails), with a literal grain of salt. Part of growing old gracefully is about never losing that fascination and wonder for the simple things in life.

Cut to tying shoelaces. I would argue that learning to tie your shoelaces was a momentous occasion for all of us. Let's face it, it was a kind of sign that we were becoming independent, a precocious portent that we were starting to grow up. Who doesn't remember proudly showing their grandma or aunt that they could tie their shoes by themselves? I remember awkwardly showing my next door neighbours when I was about four, much to their bemusement. I even remember thinking, "Why are you chuckling in your grown-up superiority? Take me seriously god damn it. I can tie my own shoes!"

So this morning I stumbled across the The Turquoise Turtle Shoelace Knot. I was reading one of my favourite blogs, hackety.org, in particular why's latest updates on his "Shoes" graphics and windowing toolkit, and it got a blatant plug (amongst shoe lace tying metaphors and stacks and flows). You really have to check it out. It's a beautiful knot, so beautiful in fact I had to get a pair of shoes and give it a whirl.

How long has it been since you thought about how to tie your shoelaces and felt joy and pride in doing it? Don't just think about it.. give it a go! (Then download and check out why's Shoes stuff. Very cool.)

(Ok, so I'm buzzing on coffee.)