Walking Barefooted

It is officially springtime, and with it's arrival comes much anticipated warmth!

I love warm weather and all things associated with it: the fruit, nature, greenery, rain, sunshine, wildlife, travel, attire, activities, food, events, breaks...everything. One key difference that influences my enjoyment of spring over winter is the footwear. I especially like to sink my bare feet into the ground, feeling the energy of spring course through me directly from the ground through my heals, up my legs and spine, and all the way up and around the back of my head to finally rest upon my eyes-- opening them to a whole new world of color and possibility.

During winter, walking barefooted isn't as enjoyable. In fact, most winter days it's unbearable and, instead of leaving my feet bare, I must wrap them in one or two layers before finally squeezing them into boots to face the cold world outside. So, when spring breaks, I take the first opportunity possible to reunite my bare feet with the earth.

Walking barefooted isn't widely seen. Indeed, shoe companies, doctors, and parents often warn against walking barefoot for fear of injury, harm to your arch, infection, and just overall social acceptability. As a result, the humans that once walked and ran upon the earth barefooted, enclose their feet in sneakers, heels, slippers, sandals, and boots to either match their outfit or for fear of injury.

One my first barefooted walk of the year-- March 29th in Jesup, GA (picture previewed above)--I realized that I often approach life in the same way I do footwear. When times are ideal and life is my perfect "temperature", I fearlessly maneuver through life "barefooted". That is to say, I dig deeper into family and close friends. I even branch out to meet new people and expand my community further. I excel at work and find joy in what I do; and I view my possibilities in life as unlimited. I embrace the environment and my surroundings, and I allow them to pour into me just as much as I pour out to them.

On the other hand, when things in life become too hot or cold-- bringing me out of my comfort zone-- I quickly head to my "closet" for the most appropriate pair of "shoes". This approach is expressed in life as any actions intended to protect us against the external world. In the past, I realized that, although shoes were needed, I often put on the wrong 'shoes' out of fear and/or conformity. Life's 'shoes' are actions. A few of my favorite pairs were reluctance to try new things, fear of criticism, criticism of others, worry and anxiety, hostility towards people or circumstances that I perceived as threatening, and a feeling of loneliness. All of these feelings served only to try and dull the feeling of my external circumstances, keeping me from feeling them fully, and making others believe I was prepared for any "weather".

The problem with never going barefooted and always wearing the wrong shoes is that you do more damage than good to your feet. Similarly, never being fully free of negative feelings-- instead, attempting to protect yourself from hurt-- will not only result in a life of discomfort, but it will also cause you to always live life reacting to your environment.

Weather changes. Your circumstances will too. As is the case when someone wears the same old pair of shoes again and again without letting their shoes and feet air out; repeating the same negative behavior just STINKS!

So, if you must wear shoes, chose a pair that is fitting. Choose love, peace, patience, gentleness... any of the fruits of the spirit are great with any attire. But if the weather is right and you feel like being free in nature, forget about what others may say or think... Simply allow your feet to touch bare ground-- face life head on and heart open. I encourage you to live life freely, sinking your "feet" so deep in love each day that you long to be barefooted all the days of your life.

Galations 5:22-23

" 22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law."