Preparation

I have borrowed my technique of preparing from those who train for marathons. The runners prepare by running more and more each day. The same can be said for deep sea divers, with each dive comes more feet into the dark abyss. My marathon: 24 hours without shoes. For the past two weeks, close to 300 hours I have been training for TOMS day of no shoes. In the comfort of my own home I shed the protection of rubber, pleather, plastic, and laces for the natural feeling of naked feet. Stepping outside on the concrete is somewhat of a shock to my little piggies. It is when I place my feet on the soil, bare of grass, that I feel the chill. The accumulation of cold days is felt in the Earth. Each level of dirt and rocks has acquired the freezing temperature. With each step the pain and the numbing only get worse. My feet are the first ones to experience the change of terrain, from soft dirt to a rocky and uneven surface. Minutes pass by as my numbed feet carry me around my yard. When I return to the warmth of carpet and artificial heat I almost leap for joy. Despite the fact that I no longer can feel my pinkie toes (who needs them anyway?) I feel accomplished.