Today I'm not wearing shoes. Though I used to do this regularly, and with a certain amount of relish, in an attempt to label myself as a nature-babe, I have long since discovered that shoes and socks keep my feet warm and comfortable. I am pro-shoe, if you will. But today was not for the sake of trying to be a hippie (though I felt hippie-ish anyways). Yesterday I stumbled across toms.com. It is a company that gives away a pair of shoes for every pair that is bought from them. The company began when it's founder was on a trip to Argentina and saw many of the local children going barefoot. Right then and there he decided to start a company that could help to solve this problem.
The first thing I quickly became aware of today was the many, many germs to which my feet were being exposed. I go on a walk with some sisters from my ward three days a week, and I was actually afraid to go without shoes today, for fear of picking up some disease. Upon thoughtful (okay, and prayerful) consideration, I decided that I would be fine. In tribute to my friends that walk with me, when I told them today was a no shoe day, they accepted it out of hand, not needing to know that I was trying to promote TOMS. That is one thing I really appreciate about this particular group of women - they've been through enough to know that we all just need to be loved, no matter our choice (or lack thereof) of footwear. But I also soon noticed that it's really uncomfortable walking around without shoes. There's lots and lots of tiny little pieces of gravel - all of which I could suddenly feel, and from which I now have the makings of some blisters - and this was on paved suburban roads, not rural dirt roads. There are perhaps millions of children worldwide who spend every day without shoes. This leaves them exposed to cuts, diseases, and even a lack of education, as most schools require shoes. I hope you will take the chance to check out TOMS. They are doing a truly great work, and it doesn't take much to be a part of it. Since they opened in 2006, they have placed hundreds of thousands of shoes on the feet of children who wouldn't otherwise have them. Today, I am grateful for shoes.
1 comment:
I myself tend to be of the opposite thought when it comes to shoes. Yes they protect my feet and are useful for that... I can no longer walk down a gravel road without pain (as a kid I used to run down the driveway barefoot and this was back when it was crushed limestone). It is also true that my feet tend to be cold as a result. But the overall result is that my feet are cold and dry which makes them less appealing to other life forms. I tend to think of my shoes as incubators and my feet as part of the available food. This was verified in practice because as a missionary I had athletes foot and since then I only had problems when my waterproof shoes also turned out to not breathe at all. So when I have the option I do tend to go barefoot as much as society and the avoidance of pain allows(little pebbles do hurt). Unfortunately as an adult those times are less common.
Toms is a cool idea I had not heard of. Maybe someday when the little ones are gone I can afford $70 canvas shoes too.
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