I have a reputation for being a bit of a tree hugger.

This reputation began many years ago when I gave up snickers and coca cola for breakfast and started making muffins with vegetables in them and making shakes that were green. I think it became permanent when I tried to convert my family to Vegan. It didn’t work. They are quite carnivorous, but I am still always on the quest for a more balanced healthy way to live.

After learning to run in my 40’s, I found total peace running on the wooded trails near my house. My love for being in nature grew even more this summer as I began learning about a type of exercise called MovNat. (See movnat.com “the workout the world forgot”). All of a sudden, a whole new way of interacting with the environment opened up. Even though we didn’t take exotic trips anywhere, this summer was full of adventure, learning to climb trees and pretty much anything else we could scale. I became ‘that parent’ at the park swinging on the monkey bars and letting my kids climb where everybody else was saying, ‘no don’t’. (This hasn’t helped my reputation by the way). I do still shave my underarms in case you are really worried. At least in the summer. 😉

So what does this have to do with being barefoot? Well, I seem to be putting less and less on my feet as I become more involved with nature. It is pretty much common knowledge in many areas of child development that bare feet develop better than shod ones. Not to mention the sensory input we get from our feet when we take our shoes off. Even as a kid, there was nothing I liked better than having my feet rubbed. (Mom I can see you nodding emphatically).

So when my kids asked if they could take their shoes off, I would wrestle that fear of puncture wounds away, and say ‘sure’!! Then I would survey the ground around them looking for deadly sharp objects that might leap out at them. I slowly relaxed and only did a quick survey for hypodermic needles when the shoes came off. Finally, about a week ago, I turned a corner when I told the kids we were ALL walking the half mile to the park..,barefoot. We didn’t even put the shoes on to have to take them off! It was an ‘aha’ experience. It was a moment of true freedom. The first couple of walks were almost painful. It felt like I lost some skin. But, it now feels damn luxurious. We do this ritual of walking barefoot to the park every night now. The air is cooling down but the warmth of the day is still there for your feet to soak up. It is so sensory! We climb and swing and jump around and then walk home to go to bed. My kids are joyful. They feel like they are getting away with something.

I have some friends that would like to take this moment to remind me of the surgery Zeke had to undergo to remove glass from his foot before he was 2 years old!! So I would like to take this moment to remind THEM that he got that piece of glass stuck in his foot in our kitchen! So yes, when a glass gets broken in my house I am a woman possessed. But I am learning not to fear EVERY THING. The boogie man is not around every corner.

Now as I face many days of walking the mile to synagogue for high holiday services, either in dress up shoes that render you crippled by the time you hobble in the door, or searching for an elegant pair of tennis shoes to get you there while toting your heels, there is finally a third choice. One I will be choosing. Yep, I will be the orthodox woman all dressed up walking barefoot with a big smile on her face!

Barefoot Baby!