A Day Without Shoes

When asked to make a list of items taken for granted, most people will list - a roof, a good meal and clothes. But once a year, individuals from across the United States take off their shoes and walk around bare footed for the day. Learning a vary valuable lesson - just what is means to go sans shoes.

UT Longhorns & Austinites

on the step of the UT Tower.

A Day Without Shoes, in a national event which is publicized and some what organized by TOMS. TOMS is a company who has truly adopted the one-for-one business approach. For each pair of TOMS shoes you purchase, a pair is donated to a child who otherwise would not be able to have shoes. Mostly serving third world countries, the company also donates shoes for shirts, sweat shirts and other items purchased. With this ideal in mind, the company started A Day without Shoes. Last year, I adventured around Spring Hill without shoes on my feet, even making it to Carpe Diem Coffee & Tea Company. My feet hurt a little during my adventures around the Hill and even more the next morning. The feeling of shoes wrapping around my feet the following day was unlike any other experience. However, nothing prepared me for this year.

Outside the Capitol.

I woke up early and took the bus into work, adventuring from my house in the chilly Texas air to arrive at the bus stop way to early - for fear that walking barefoot would delay me, so I left plenty of time to walk slowly to the bus. For fear of early morning arguing with the bus driver I placed my shoes on my feet, and got on the bus. I removed my shoes during bus number two and hid them away in my bag - never to be used again that day. My work day was fairly normal with not too many comments wondering where my shoes were. I worried a bit that my clients would find my actions demeaning to them or belittling of those who cannot affording shoes. But I was fortunate in that no one accosted or accused me of such actions. The real challenge came when Pamela and I left work.

Towards the end of March, I had found via the TOMS website an event going on at the University of Texas (UT), where students were walking from the Tower at UT to the Texas State Capitol where non-profits from around Austin and individuals from the ONE campaign would join us to raise awareness about a variety of issues around Austin, the United States and on the greater scale about issues around the planet. I sent an e-mail around our house inviting my housemates on this walk to me. And that’s part of how Pamela became interested. So she called me that day and suggested that we walk from my office to UT.

Pamela and I at Capitol Hill. 

An adventure that would normally be fairly simple was complicated by nothing being between me and the sidewalk, the road or anything laying in my path. I learned pretty quickly, that the quickest way to cross the street is by walking on the white stripe outlining the pedestrian crosswalk. My second lesson is that no matter the temperature, sometimes grass is the best place to walk and finally that the gutter portion of the street is a God send when the only other option is a gravel / concrete combination. The 4.2 miles that Pamela and I adventured quite simply made me so thankful for my feet, but also thankful for the shoes that so frequently encompass them.

A few hours without shoes can help anyone to realize the true importance of a shoe and it sole; but more importantly it can the human soul a world of good. So take off your shoes and challenge yourself to living life barefoot and to its fullest.

For more information, check out the TOMS website, the One Day Without Shoes website or my photoblog.