Last time that I gave my mother shoes,
they were black sandals.
She debuted them the next day.
When I saw her, I was surprised because
I had bought them for “a special day”
and I asked her why she had used them for the first time
so quickly and she said,
“What if I die tomorrow? Will someone else debut them?
They are to be used now!”

Two months later, she passed away!
Today I remembered the black sandals again,
more open on one side than in the other.
And while remembering, I ask myself:
What do we expect to debut?
What is really a special day when life is lived only once?
This is how we spend our lives,
waiting for the right moment,
the precise moment,
the special day to debut or start something
that will make us feel better.

How many people came here without saying what they wanted,
without wearing what they wanted,
without going back somewhere or
without asking for forgiveness?
Do you know how many loves were never lived
because they waited too long to express it?
What about marriages that ended
because the other didn't apologize first?
Friends who stopped talking
due to a misunderstanding.
Family that never got together again
because they couldn't find the one day?
Dreams that lay dormant
waiting for an opportunity?
The honest people we lost
because they were sincere and hurt us?

What if tomorrow doesn't come?
What did you stop debuting for others to do?
Who did you let for someone else to love?
What words have you left unspoken?
With what forgiveness in your chest did you stay?
Who do you owe an explanation to?
Who should you have given a chance?
Who should you have closed the door
without ever looking back?
What adventure did you stop doing?

We keep without debuting words, company,
feelings, dreams,
just for the fear of failing,
out of shame or, even worse, out of pride.

And so, we calm our heartbeats without realizing
that we remain inert in the face of life,
waiting for tomorrow when tomorrow doesn't exist,
it's just a hope, an idea that may not come,
we only have today.

Today we have to debut our shoes
before someone else does,
fight for what we love,
fight for the dream,
live even if we make mistakes,
trying before someone else dares the best feat.

And every morning when we open our eyes in this “crazy” land,
it is God's way of telling us:
"Dare to try, risk, maybe this is the day,
if you fail, I'll be here and if you win, I’ll be here too".

Today, I stood in the same place where her body is,
with tears in my eyes…
and I remembered her black sandals.
And I was embarrassed
because I wanted to wear colorful loafers for the first time
and for the fear that they would get wet,
I didn't wear them… so what?
What if they get wet? They will dry up!
What if they get broken? I already used them!
And if something doesn't work? I already tried!

Now, thinking about that,
I know that today is a good day to wear new shoes…
to start making dreams come true.
And you, what do you have to debut

– Marisel Hilerio Rivera