5Fingers

2013 FiveFingers ©

I've never been one for shoes. Where most females buy into their societal roles of shoes obsessions, I (of course) went the opposite direction.

I don't know what it is about shoes. I mean growing up, I don't know what caused a apathy towards the foot protectors. At that point I didn't dislike them, I just didn't really care for them. Now, well now I despise them. They are cumbersome, and overbearing. They are intrusive, and over protective. They're just not me.

This particular dislike of shoes didn't come overnight,  but gradually over three years time. You see for three years now I've been wearing Vibram FiveFingers when circumstance forces footwear. These shoes are by far the closest thing to being barefoot without being barefoot. After wearing these now for three years I've come to highly dislike any other shoe - especially boots. Come winter there are times when boots are necessary, and I can barely function in them. They feel like 20lb weights attached to my feet. I can no feel the ground, and feel disconnected from the Earth. It's an awkward feeling to say the least.

When I dropped the ball and chain of religion I started to become more connected to Nature. This intensified my disdain for shoes. I wanted to feel the Earth under my feet, needed to feel the Earth under my feet, and shoes prevent such. Living barefoot is an experience to which I can't fully explain. It's something you have to experience, and appreciate all on your own. I could go on and on about the benefits of living barefoot; physical, spiritual, and mental, but it would do no good. This is one of those things you just have to experience for yourself. Go barefoot for a while, only wear shoes when forced by circumstance, and realize what you've been missing since you were a kid. It's quite the awakening.

Typing barefoot,

Haley