When love walks barefoot

The other day, a client shared a story with me that beautifully captured the essence of love.

She was waiting for her cab outside a wedding venue. It was one of those mass ceremonies where many couples tie the knot together. As she stood watching the newlyweds step out, her eyes landed on a bride who immediately caught her attention.

The bride was wearing sneakers!

My client smiled to herself, thinking how refreshing it was to see someone choose comfort over convention, joy over appearance.

But then she noticed something else - in the bride’s hand were her glittering bridal sandals.

That raised a question, if the bride was holding her sandals, whose sneakers was she wearing?

The answer came when her gaze shifted to the groom. He was walking barefoot on the road.

Suddenly, it all made sense.

He had quietly slipped off his sneakers so she wouldn’t have to struggle in uncomfortable sandals. No words, no grand gesture, no audience cheering them on, just a simple, silent act of love.

My client brought this up in our session while we were exploring the question: What does love look like?

We often picture love as big declarations, material gifts, or carefully chosen words. But sometimes, love is just this: a pair of sneakers, a willingness to walk barefoot so the other doesn’t have to.

It’s in the small acts that say, I see you, I want you to be comfortable, I’ve got you.

We often chase cinematic love, the grand proposal, the expensive gift, the dramatic “I can’t live without you.” But what sustains us are these quieter forms of devotion.

Something to reflect on:

What do the “sneaker moments” in your life look like? Maybe someone saved the last bite for you, waited until you got home safely, or simply listened without judgment. These aren’t always loud or noticeable, but they often carry the deepest kind of care.

Love doesn’t always announce itself, it often walks barefoot, quietly, right beside us.