I learned to tie my shoes in the first grade. Obviously, my first grade teacher wasn't going to tie my shoes or those of my classmates every day or several times a day. Shoes have had shoelaces for probably about 5500 years, although it is difficult to document as shoes were an expendable item that fell apart with time and use.

I still find it a challenge to keep them tied. I have a pair of hiking boots that I have to double-knot to ensure that the laces stay tied. It makes me feel like a kid. I used to take off my shoes without untying them--still do, once in a while (probably more often than I realize). And then the next time I want to wear them, they have to be untied before I can put them on and tie the shoelaces again. It is a simple procedure, and a simple skill. How many thousand times have I tied my shoes or tied the shoes of my kids or my granddaughter or countless children at church? Some skills just stick with you.