The futility of shoes v the freedom of barefeet

Today, being a Sunday I went off on my usual barefoot walk. Today was just over 10kms and a really great walk. The weather was perfect around 28c and a light breeze to keep things cool.

After a hectic work week I needed the time to clear my head, relax and feel Mother Earth under my bare soles. As I was walking my mind wanders, as usual to all sorts of thoughts!

The second half of the walk is along a riverfront and there are usually a bunch of people out walking their dogs or just enjoying the fresh air and sunshine.
It was at this point that the thought occurred to me about how much these people are missing out. Here am I enjoying all the different surfaces and textures of the ground when everyone else had their feet in Nike's or Reebok's or some other plastic and rubber shoes most likely made in sweatshops in some third world country Today, I saw nobody else barefoot which is not common anyway these days. It just seems so futile!

I guess everyone can make their own choices which of course is a good thing but honestly I know when I got back to my car to drive home my feet felt so damn good. Much better than being trapped inside those bloody things!
Sorry for "preaching to the converted"

 

It’s getting warmer where I live but you only see a few women wearing flip flops or sandals . I’m the only one walking around barefoot I hope to see more bare feet this year but who knows

 

Its just westerners have been in shoes for so long that going barefoot seems like a loss of freedom because like example the tourists that struggle to walk 100 yards from the beach back to their cars barefoot because their feet are so fragile every little shell or pebble and imperfection is a tragedy if they misstep on it.

Ive long been critical of all the articles pointing out the benefits of bare-footing but totally fail to explain like anything else it takes some work and practice.

Me ive said before my barefooting started with reading he barefoot running stuff that came out like 15 years ago and I had the goal to toughen up my feet see if I could do it.

Becoming a full time bare-footer was actually a side effect resulting from me learning that bare-footing was not like that first week every little shell or pebble and imperfection is a tragedy.

I would say so called feet toughening was 30% of it and 70% was just learning how to navigate. And of course how shitty shoes feel after learning to go without.

 

I am enjoying going barefoot more and more. I take walks in the park on the grass, hiking trails, I drive and have even gone into stores. So far I have had no negative encounters in stores, but it just feels odd. It’s not that I am embarrassed for people to see my feet I wear sandals and my feet are in full view. The major difference between sandals and barefoot is having a barrier between the bottom of your foot and the ground. Nobody gives sandal wearing a second thought, but barefoot? It’s almost a form of public nudity.