Barefooting Day 1

For now on I'm going to try to post these on the days they occur. 

This experience was from September 7, 2010...

I sit outside the school in my car finishing up a quick fast food meal before I go into the building to present a speech for college Principles of Public Speaking. I'm already wearing my new barefoot sandals, but my shoes are on the car floor, and the inner debate begins:

It's hard to break yourself of social habits. Look around, we all follow social "rules,", and it's been drilled into everyone's heads that "shirts and shoes are required." Being female I don't mind keeping my shirt on but I've decided enough is enough with the shoes.

I pull my copy of the barefoot book out, grab my bag, and use the book as a double method of protection- If I look busy people are less likely to bother me, if I actually read while I walk I'm less likely to hear anyone talking. I make it into the building and I'm too light blinded to keep reading, that's okay though the stairs are empty.

As I reach the hallway where my class is an old high school friend grabs my attention, he checks my feet as he has every time he's seen me for the last couple of years. I've always hated shoes and getting me into anything close toed is considered near impossible (I'm not stupid enough to leave the boots when I ride my motorcycle), he tells me I'm cheating. He doesn't question it though, I suppose early 20s is still a good age to be odd and rebellious.

I walk on to my class only to find the last class still inside. I stand outside the door and start chatting with a fellow class mate. For one reason or another she notices my feet; she glances at them a couple times and says "those aren't shoes are they?... What's on the bottom?" I show her the bottom of my naked foot. She asks why I do it, I tell her I believe it's healthy and I feel more connected to the earth. I feel more at balance with myself and the world without shoes, and as it's my first speech of the year I figure I should have some extra comfort anyway. I didn't notice the teacher standing a few feet away from me, but he never commented. That's alright I got approval for a persuasive speech on kicking of your shoes for later in the semester.

I'm sure other people noticed my lack of footwear during the day but if they commented I never heard it. Over all I would consider day one to be a pretty big success, and we'll see if this success continues on.