A couple of weeks ago, I had dinner with five fabulous females friends; five very special, strong, spiritual women. I mentioned my plans for a variety of Charity fund-raisers for 2011 which included a Barefoot 10K in Battersea Park in September. “You should go barefoot for 12 months not just 10K,” said Adele. I laughed, “I'd love to but I don't think I could,” I replied.
“Of course you could, you can do anything.” The three other faces around the table nodded their agreement.
Below are the Top Ten reasons I wouldn’t go barefooted or ‘unshodden’:
1. I love Boots; all types of boots – be they steel toe-capped, high heeled, knee length, thigh length, ankle, fur lined, neoprene, lace up, riding boots or even waders.
2. I suffer from cold feet. In the winter I wear Sealskin waterproof socks inside all of my boots. I often wear socks in bed. My feet are like blocks of ice from October to April – ish.
3. I'm a Pisces; Pisces' weakness is their feet. They need to take good care of their feet, they have to protect their feet.
4. I walk the dog - a lot. The rougher the terrain, the more we like it; we hike up mountains, through streams, down stony tracks and through woodlands, every day.
5. I am a Landscape Gardener. I wear steel toe-cap boots all day every day; partly because they are practical and very comfortable but mainly because they make sure my feet don't get mashed.
6. I love dry stone walling and am in the middle of training for professional qualifications – I wear steel toe capped boots for the reason above
7. I am a bee-keeper. I wear wellington boots as part of my protective gear when I check the hives, as taught by my fabulous bee mentor.
8. I live on a small holding and every morning and evening feed, water and muck out my pigs and chickens.
9. I run and have entered several ‘races’ for Charity in 2011. I spend the same sort of quality time with my trainers as one spends only with best friends.
10. I am a Public Speaker. I have an exciting list of engagements for 2011.
And here is just one reason I will …....
1. I want to try it; it appeals to me
I like the thought of the adventure, the journey and the experience. It won't be for Charity or sponsored or even for a determined amount of time; it will be own personal exploration, no rules, no pressure, no promises. I am not pledging to be barefoot all the time and certainly not when it compromises my health or safety, hardy is one thing, fool-hardy is another! I don't know how it will go or how long it will go for but I'm going to do it, I'm going unshodden wherever and whenever I feel like it and as often as I can.
I am going to do my research, going to ask other Barefooters for advice and just see how it goes. There will be no big launch or start date, when the time is right I'll simpy shed my shoes and socks and step out
I'm looking forward to it, it excites me which has to be a good sign. I already feel passionate about it. Earlier this year I passed my Level One BSL (British Sign Language ) Course; one of the things that excites me about that particular form of communication is the fact that you have to be in the present, you have to focus, you have to pay full attention to the person you are communicating with, it's respectful. I imagine being unshodden will deliver that same sense of being in the present, of having to focus and pay attention to the environment and conditions around me. I like that. Maybe it's a subconscious desire to spend more time in the NOW, a subconscious method of being in the present a little more often than I am.
I'm looking forward to feeling the connection between myself and the ground, of literally feeling 'grounded'. It feels 'heart-led' rather than ‘head-led’; heart is an anagram of earth – heart and earth will be connected.
Or am I just being romantic? Perhaps I'll hate it. I'm used to the protection that strong steel toe capped leather boots offer. They allow me to indulge in a certain degree of irresponsibility for my feet - one less thing to think about as I busy myself trying to shuffle a head full of thoughts. Currently I can afford to focus on the demands of my mind knowing the other end is safe – that's about to change ….
