Message from my feet: “Please stay with us in the present moment!”

If your body could talk, what would it say to you today?

My feet are likely on a rant, but I prefer to think of it as more of a firm, loving wake up call.

     Girl, you walk too fast—slow down!

      We need you to pay attention instead of thinking about all of your ideas!

      We’ve been rolled and twisted a lot in our 58 years —be more careful!

      Please put us in shoes that support us – good, solid shoes because we aren’t as young and strong as we used to be!

      And please, please, please don’t put us in flimsy flip-flops anymore!

 My feet are healing from yet another fall that I took several days ago. Our family rented a lake house for the weekend to attend a big Clemson football game. It was a crisp morning and normally my freshest time, BUT while walking and appreciating the beautiful view, my flip-flop caught on a loose, broken patio stone. Down I went, rolling the right ankle and overextending the left foot. Ugh!!! Both feet began to swell instantly (they do operate in the present moment!) and I hobbled painfully back into the house. I prayed that none of the many tiny bones in my feet were broken.

Our feet are remarkable creations. Did you know that each foot has 26 bones, 33 joints, and more than 100 muscles, tendons, and ligaments? We should be thanking them every day for holding us upright!

Fortunately, x-rays and an MRI revealed that the bones and ligaments were intact, just badly sprained and swollen. I am now sporting a sturdy walking boot to support my left foot that took that the brunt of the fall. My feet are grateful to be tended to.

Our wounds offer us wisdom IF we choose to listen. As a Conscious Aging facilitator, you’d think that I’d pay better attention to my body’s aging, but I want to wish away the aging process as much as anyone else. And flip-flops are so fun and easy; they come in soooooo many styles!

But the flip side (haha!), flip-flops are a dangerous, poor choice of footwear. I know, such a bummer! According to the National Consumer Product Commission, there were over 27,000 flip-flop related emergency room visits in 2016. Their lack of support and protection can lead to injuries from falls, make the feet more prone to infection, and cause knee and hip problems, especially as we grow older. They literally cause us to flop! Maybe it’s time to thank our flip-flops for their service and slip into something better and fun.

Our bodies are valuable partners that house us while we are here on earth, but all too often we ignore their needs.

So I ask you again, what message does your body have for you today? Is there a body part that seems to be suffering from an ache or pain? Ask what it is trying to tell you. Try to listen by jotting down thoughts that come.

And please, think twice before putting on those flip-flops.