I went barefoot and liked it

"By reading the scriptures I am so renewed that all nature seems renewed around me and with me. The sky seems to be a pure, a cooler blue, the trees a deeper green. The whole world is charged with the glory of God and I feel fire and music under my feet. "
Thomas Merton

I've noticed that when I'm barefooted I'm at my happiest. Now it might be the situations I am in and not the actual bare feet that cause the happiness, but they happen around the same time. Take tonight for example. My ward had Home Evening up the canyon in a wonderful park. I did take my sandals, I just left them in the car. I had fun exploring the different paths in the trees, stepping over rocks, on tree trunks, on the soil. I was very proud of how tough my feet have gotten. i only winced once or twice while walking around. I had fun climbing a tree and feeling the bark, of standing on the cement around the bonfire and feel as it heated up from said fire.
I guess this is something I've noticed lately. I like to be able to feel things like this. The not so subtle change of hot cement or dry grass that is in the direct sunlight to the cool, still slightly wet cement/grass in the shade. I like the textures of differently poured cement in each of the squares along the sidewalk. Or the feel of the blades of grass tickling the arches of my feet.
The burning of the hot asphalt I can do without but everything else I pretty much enjoy feeling.

Like I have mentioned before I have gone to Kwistin's a couple of Sundays to have scripture study. Almost all of them I have gone barefoot as her house is only a few blocks from mine. One time she asked if I wanted a ride home because it was dark, I politely declined and someone else chimed in "But you're barefoot!" "That's the point!" I quickly replied. Shoes are too constricting. I have been wearing either flip flops or nothing since April. It made me really uncomfortable to wear tennis shoes when hiking down in Moab last weekend (I will do a post on that I promise!). Of course that only lasted a few hours but still, shoes are so hot and stuffy. Blech, that's what I have to say to them. I think I surprised some of that group that went to Moab as we were walking around rocks and a cliff like area because I was running around barefoot. What? I would rather have sure footing and a good grip with my bare feet that slip and fall to my death because I was wearing flip-flops.
I was playing with my 4 year old niece when my sister and brother-in-law stopped by to pick up a computer from my grandma when she asked what I was wearing on my feet.
"I'm wearing bare feet, Favorite!" (yes, that is my personal nick-name for her)
"Oh!"
A few minutes later I heard her say this to one of her parents:
"Can I wear my bare feet too?" Oh, I have already started to corrupt the next generation. My heart smiles =}

Anyway, there's just another look into just one of the many quirks of my personality.
Gotta blaze!