Flip Flop Mat

Years ago I bought a whimsical doormat with mini-boot prints all over it. Served me well right up until this week when evidence of its worn-ness came to my attention. It had shedded fibers all over the garage, creating a mess. The fibers, mixed with dried bug poison, tiny bits of kid litter, Kevin's head shavings, leaves, and likely an eensy bit of pigeon poop morphed into a formidable monster (or had the potential to morph into a formidable monster) - so I did away with it.

But not before finding this whimsical doormat at my local giant household mercantile.


Whimsy, by the way, is a key element in any good doormat. Doormats cannot be too serious. Nor too rude. There was a doormat, for instance, that said GO AWAY in big black letters. Funny, in a bitter sort of a way, but rude.

My new doormat made a point, in its labeling, to associate itself with the booming trend toward being "green". I do mean trend. While I think any good follower of God ought to care about the earth and our environment, I think the current emphasis on "green-ness" is a trend. I hope good stewardship of our planet continues, even grows, but I can do without the over-emphasis. And, yet - I bought the "green" doormat, though in my cynicism I have my doubts about it. Supposedly, this thing is made from recycled flip-flops. Really? And mass produced? THAT many people recycled their flip-flops? Did this company have a flash of forward-thinking ten years ago and open up stations where folks could drop off their used flip-flops? I don't believe it. But I'm a victim of the trend, plus I liked the idea and the color - so there it sits in my garage doorway. And it is pleasantly squishy on my feet. Hope it was the same for all those former flip-flop wearers.

(Really, if I was truly "green", wouldn't I have reduced, reused, or recycled my existing doormat without buying the new one? Or is that delving into the other trend toward "simplicity" which it is MUCH more difficult to be a part of? Either way, it has now been revealed that I am not green, simple, OR trusting of recyclers. But I AM a sucker for clever marketing.)