Feet Are Sweet!

Of all people to quote today, who would have guessed Leonardo da Vinci was interested in feet. I guess he truly was a profound artist, because he not only knew how to paint, he knew the value of life behind the art he brought to life. He said,

 "The human foot is a masterpiece of engineering and a work of art."

Jason McKellar sent me this quote. It arrived in my email box just about the time I was getting over a little stress fracture in my right foot. I've been a walker for twenty one years. I've been learning to run now for just over a year. That's twenty two years of mileage on the road not counting all of the other places my feet have carried me.  I figure at a bare minimum in 22 years I've covered at least 18 thousand miles. Who knows what the number would be if I counted every step I've taken since I was born. I think Leonardo nailed it. The human foot truly is a masterpiece!

When I look back over my life, I randomly ponder over all the places my feet have carried me. All my growing up years, all those times I ran and played down at the barn, down at the school, up on the hills of every trail ride, and over to the neighbors, and all my friends houses; my feet have carried everywhere! 

I think of all the boots I've pulled on my feet, all the stirrups my feet have clung too as I rode my horse up and down my road, up and down the mountains, up and down the thin long line of white poles hoping I'd win. I've ridden my horse in many an arena all the while my feet wearing anything from pretty rodeo queening boots to my good old red ropers. 

Then came all those years of chasing other little feet. Little feet are the best! All that extra weight my feet packed around in 8 pregnancies. I guess I could go on and on for eons of time thinking about all the ways and means my feet have blessed my life. My feet have been good to me.  And Oh' the places they've been! Oh' the things we've seen. 

It was the little stress fracture in my right foot that drew my attention to the sheer miracle and wonder of my feet! People talk about the seven wonders of the world, well, I think feet have to be the 8th! Have you ever stopped to think about all the heels, boots, tottering espadrilles, flat non supportive flip-flops, sneakers, and all the other foot-torturing devices you've wincingly jammed your feet into every day. I used to wear heels and I'll bet my feet had a party when I gave that up! I read just the other day that if you continually wear heels your tendons shorten. 

  

Are you aware that prior to the invention of shoes, people had healthier feet? It's a known fact! I found it interesting that the sole of your foot has over 200,000 nerve endings in it, one of the highest concentrations anywhere in the body. The human foot is a brilliant navigation system.

I don't think feet were meant to wear shoes. I'm certain of it! I remember all the time when I was a kid being told by grown ups to put my shoes on. But I loved going barefoot. As a kid, I played at the barn barefooted so much I got plantar warts. That didn't phase me. I loved having my shoes off and feeling the earth beneath my feet. I really think the Lord designed us perfectly to walk around with no shoes.

Tonight when you take your shoes off, pay some extra attention to your amazing, tired, spectacular feet. While I'm probably never going to take up barefoot running. I am going to be taking better care of my feet and running has made me fully aware of the impact they make in my life.
On June 12th my feet are going to carry me across the finish line. It won't be the first time they've taken me where I wanted to go and seen me through the thick of things. I also know it won't be the last time they buoy me up and show me life and the complete miraculous wonder of it all.
I do think though on June 12th, it will officially be the first time after that long day is over, just after I kneel down by my bed and say my prayers, spending much time thanking the Lord and singing praises to heaven for all His generous help, I'm going to include my feet in that prayer of gratitude. Then after I rise up and place my tired limp body into bed, I'm going to do one last thing before I nod off to sleep; I'm going to forget about kissing the ground I walked on, nope, I'm going to kiss the feet that carried me home, even if after 13 miles on the road I might feel like I have one foot in the grave!

Feet . . . They're amazing! Don't leave home without em'.

PS, Here's your hottest tip for how to care for your feet after you run or after they've carried you far. Massage your feet with a tennis ball. Take the ball, place it under your foot and roll it around massaging every part. It brings the blood into all it's vessels, aides in stimulating and re-invigorating the foot and those incredible 2000,000 nerve endings.