We’ve all shared in this experience…a sock is missing. It truly has disappeared without a trace. There are no signs, no warnings, no simple suggestions. It is just gone. Recently one of my white, gym socks vanished, leaving behind a mate. The mate was identical, with just a few differences. Perhaps these subtle differences made all the difference- a pulled thread here, a weak patch there, an area stretched too thin or clumped too close.

Somehow the lost sock had been overlooked. It had been accidentally kicked out of site, or dropped, or misplaced. It was truly missed and needed. Hunts were arranged and curse words were even used to describe its unexplained behavior. It had been taken for granted of.

The mate was not thrown away though. It lay in wait, silently, in the drawer. All the other socks were bunched together, but the mate was alone, as its partner. It waited…

A few weeks passed and as I sifted through a clothes drawer, there it was, a sliver of white as unassuming as a doves’ coo. It had vanished, only to appear just as unexpectedly. At last it was properly matched with its mate and was folded to join the others. They nestled together into their quiet, dark burrow.

All was right with the world…ya just need a little time, and a little faith.

I must admit I haven’t always eyed my socks with such intensity. In my college days I was just happy to have two clean socks! I gave no attention to the color or size.

 As long as the socks covered my feet, I was good to go. They were happy, safe, and snug inside my boots or shoes during the cold winter months. I gave it little thought until I was older.

I was telling my son the stories of my mismatched sock habit from my younger days and he gave me an all-knowing smile. He gently raised his pant legs to reveal his habit as well. There I saw the familiar sight- two socks, unmatched!

Will he be a sock convert as he ages?  Only time will tell.

-Just need a little time and a little faith.