From: J.P.W

Subject: barefoot spirituality

Date: Feb 2005

I guess its easy to assume that going barefoot has a spiritual aspect. Perhaps in many cases it does. St. Francis went barefoot to show his devotion to the ideals of Christianity. Other people feel it puts them in more direct touch with the Mother Earth. It would be nice assume that barefooters are kinder and gentler than shoddies. Being barefoot does make you pretty vulnerable so maybe it does deter violence in some sense but I have to be honest I know some people kinder and more gentler than I that wear shoes all the time.

I am always suspicious about spiritual things. Not that I am truly atheistic either, but I have to be honest with myself. I like to think that I play music better barefoot because I feel more plugged in but I’m sure I can play just as well with shoes on if I tried it. I do find it inspirational to go on barefoot walks and there are some physiological reasons for that.

Mostly, however, I like to feel the ground beneath my feet. I don’t believe it makes me more this or that or superior in some way (the pseudo-religious need to be more right or superior just makes me nauseous and causes more harm than any one thing on the planet) Barefooting gives me a sense of joy and of freedom.  For me it’s liberating. It’s taking down a barrier in a society full of walls and fences.

What’s important to me is that it’s my life and I am the one who’s got to die when it’s time for me to die and I’ll be damned if I don’t do my best to dig as much as I can and live the way I want to.

Maybe some of you share my feelings. Maybe some of you don’t. That’s great. I am much happier knowing that I live in a world where people have the right to be different. Otherwise, none of us (shoddies or barefooters) would really have a place here….