Shoes?

            Shoes are interesting. When I go to work, I wear some heavy dress shoes with plenty of space inside; when I get home at night, I switch to my loafers, with padding inside; if it were summer, I’d walk to the park with sandals on my feet; on a hike, I wear sturdy hiking boots; whenever I’m doing odd jobs around the house and yard, I wear my sneakers; and when I run, I wear tight, thin running shoes. From the following list you could deduce that I have six pairs of shoes, which would be correct. Each pair affords its own comfort and functionality depending on the activity it was designed for.

A couple days ago I came across a young man walking about the University of Utah campus with bare feet. He was wearing pants, a coat, a big backpack and a beanie, but no shoes. He looked at everyone as if daring them to comment on his shoelessness. At first I thought that he was starving for attention, but after mulling it over, I thought, “Maybe he just hasn’t found a comfortable pair of shoes.” Now, winter is a funny time to discover such a thing, but who am I to judge? Some people’s feet may truly be better off bare, regardless of temperature.

            I have a couple of friends who run barefoot from time to time. One of them has run marathons barefoot. I think they’re crazy for doing so. Every time I’ve tried to run barefoot, I end up with blood coming from the bottom of my feet. My friends say it’s more natural, but one of the dangers of running barefoot is flat feet. A good athletic shoe will offer arch support, because fallen arches are sometimes painful. It’s funny to think that we need foam bumps inside our shoes to keep our arches up, but they sure are helpful.

The other evening I was advising a friend on how to choose the best pair of athletic shoes. The shoes my friend had picked out were the right size, according to the number on the outside of the box, and they felt okay when she walked around, but she was worried because there wasn’t any extra space between any part of her foot and the shoe. I told her that a shoe designed for sports isn’t going to have any extra space, otherwise blisters form. Whenever a foot slides around inside a shoe for a prolonged period of time, blisters are sure to appear. For all athletic activity, the tighter the shoe, the better. When I go running, I make sure to lace my shoes up as tight as possible. At first it doesn’t feel comfortable, but after moving around a bit, my feet settle in and the shoes feel like a part of me, like another layer of skin.

            You undoubtedly have your own personalized collection of shoes and boots. Some are old and should be thrown away, but they hold sentimental value so they remain at the back of your closet. A few may be new and hard to wear because your feet have not broken them in. Whatever your shoe situation is, just remember that if the shoe fits, wear it. If not, don’t. The comfort level of a shoe can easily influence your mood. Another thing to remember: if shoes in general are uncomfortable, go barefoot, but watch out for sharp sticks!