Oh My Sole.

The afternoon sunlight penetrated through the tattered canvas, illuminating his graying hair. Beads of sweat glistened on his face as he worked on sanding down the sole of my shoe.

I took a break from work to have my shoes re-soled and headed to Chinatown, where Joo had recommended a cobbler. As I walked down the street, I noticed several cobblers offering their services. Having lived in Africa, I've become more conscious of my environmental impact and try to recycle whenever possible.

During my shoe repair at a cobbler in Chinatown, I struck up a conversation with him. Despite his disorganized appearance, he was a mild-mannered man with many life lessons to impart. As I waited for him to complete my shoe, I observed a steady stream of returning customers seeking their repaired shoes. Curious, I asked him why he didn't train an understudy, given his high demand for work.

He looked up at me slowly from above his reading glasses and said, "Did you see the cobbler with the stall directly in front of me? He was my student." With that, he returned to his work, and his response said it all.

Sometimes, all that one can do is enough to bring them happiness. Life is not always about having more, but about needing less to be content.

Another unexpected lesson learned from an unlikely teacher in a declining industry. He had given me new soles for my shoes, and I couldn't help but feel grateful for the experience.

Truly, sometimes the most valuable lessons come from the most unexpected sources.