Okay, so maybe they aren’t really ruby and they aren’t really slippers, but they ARE magical. When I put on my red shoes it’s like donning an entirely new persona. I am suddenly someone else. Anyone else.

There are plenty of advantages to being someone else. I like to swap problems for possibilities and trade worries and anxieties for playfulness and creativity. It’s my own version of “The Secret Life of Walter Mitty.” I’m not confusing reality with fantasy, I’m just giving myself a break from my usual day-to-day routine. Kind of like when an actor gets on the stage and plays a part.

I keep my red shoes where I can see them—right now there are two pairs on top of the television set in my bedroom. They remind me to avoid the quagmire of drudgery and stodginess. They remind me that it’s good for me to GO PLAY!