I was born into this world barefoot, and spent the first twenty years of my life, most comfortably, in the same manner. Had I attended school back in the old days, I would’ve happily gone there without shoes on my feet.
I have a few of Mama’s old yearbooks, and they’re filled with little barefoot children in class pictures. Some didn’t have a choice, but some (since it was allowed back then) were more than happy to do so. By the time I started school shoes were, sadly, required. Otherwise, I would’ve been a grinning, blonde haired little girl, with dirty feet, in every class photo.
At home, however, foot attire was not a must. We did everything barefoot; walked to the creek, went back in the woods, worked in the garden, and even mowed the yard with a push mower. For some unbeknownst reason to me, we weren’t scared of snakes, stickers or lawn mower blades. It was a normal way of life.
After I had my boys; they spent the majority of their childhood barefoot as well. Unless it was cold outside, shoes were obsolete while at home. I, however, had already begun to feel the woes of worn out feet. Suddenly, I felt the piercing of stickers and jabs of rocks.
Benjamin Franklin once said, that if you scatter thorns...best not go barefoot. I’m pretty sure that he wasn’t referring to actual feet. But let me tell y’all, after I scattered my little world with babies...my whole body changed. Including my steppers.
By the time that Tara was born, my toenails could’ve barked, because nobody was gonna ever see them again, anyway. So naturally, once the awareness of foot threats became known to me, I made her wear shoes everywhere.
I swear...carpet hurts my feet nowadays. Slippers have become as necessary as eyeglasses, BioFreeze, a heating pad and Metamucil. Long gone are the days of barefootin’.
But Spring is here, and allowing me to wear flip flops...the nearest thing to going barefoot. Ahhhh...to feel the air upon my footsies again. It’s time to let my friend, Geralyn, do some pedicuric magic.
Y’all have a blessed day, and if you can still go barefootin’...do. And do so often.
