Thank you for being my shoe. You durable, beautiful piece of shit. I stumbled upon you in the mall one Saturday morning 3 years ago and decided I needed you in my life. And let me tell you… you’re really in it for the long run. At first, you were a little stubborn with giving me blisters the first 2 weeks I wore you.

But then, you transformed into the shoe every other shoe wishes they could be. Even though you’re covered in holes and the white checkers have aged to brown, you’re still my go-to shoe. From Austin City Limits to hiking in Colorado (I wouldn’t recommend wearing them in CO), you’ve lasted through my best memories.

Each hole that has been made has a different story. There’s a cake stain on your right heel from being “caked” by Steve Aoki at a concert, there’s a hole on your left toe from lending you to a not-so-careful skateboarder one Sunday afternoon; there’s 'wear and tear' written all over. Most importantly, I want to thank you for not stinking after dropping you in the lake that one time. You’ve scuffed every street in Austin, TX to leave your mark on that city. To say you’ve surprised me is an understatement. Your heel grip has now been folded over to create a slipper shoe so you’re easier to kick on and off. You’ve created two ways for me to wear you! You’re still comfy as heck and I choose you every time I need a casual shoe to wear. You’ve heard Kings of Leon, Kenny Chesney, Drake and Lord Huron. You’ve been to Colorado, California, Alabama, Texas and Arkansas. If I could trace your steps back over again, I would and the memories I’ve created with you will last a lifetime. You connect girls all over because you’re so popular.

But with all of this said, I think it’s time for a new you. Even though you’re still durable and beautiful, I need a new pair of you. You’ll be number one in my heart and I’ll never forget you. So, thank you to my black and white checkered Vans.