To polish or not to polish...

While exploring Bangalore I came across a man on the curb stitching a pair of shoes. Upon further review I noticed that he had all the tools for a proper shoe polishing. I glanced down at my well traveled boots and they looked thirsty. I impulsively decided to get them polished. The man handed me a pair of flip flops to trade for the boots and once that transaction was complete he began his craft. I sat next to him on the curb and watched the transformation. When he was finished I admired his work. Suddenly the coin was flipped, my mood shifted… I began to miss the look of the boots prior to polish. They had character, a roughness and openly expressed who they were and where they had been. Even though beneath the surface they were the same, I felt their truth was hidden.