Beth and I were giving a presentation at my 9:30 class. I had a feeling my professor wouldn't care so we gave our presentation barefoot. My professor inquired. We told her what we were doing. She immediately took her shoes off. She pretty much rocks.
The forecast was calling for rain. And the forecast was right. It poured. And I walked around outside barefoot. My feet got wet. My cream colored dress pants that I wore for my presentation got wet and the bottoms were dragged through the pollen-y puddles and mud that I couldn't get around. Though this is a daily occurrence in developing countries.
People gave me strange looks when I walked around campus. I suppose it was good that I was allowed on campus. The children in Teupasenti, Honduras (and I'm sure most other places around the world) are not allowed to go to school if they do not have shoes with their uniforms.
I hesitated to drink as much water as I normally do because I wasn't sure I wanted to walk into a public restroom barefoot. But eventually I had to. And it was weird. But I did it. Children around the world walk into bathrooms barefoot everyday.
I felt short. Usually I am in 2 1/2" - 3" heels. I didn't feel like I could "stand tall" the way I normally do. I didn't have the same confidence. I never would have thought something as simple as a heel would give me confidence. But it does - and I didn't have that today. Women around the world never have that confidence.
All day, I kept thinking about the shoes that were unworn in my closet back home. They seemed like such a waste. How did I let myself get consumed by something so frivolous? But I tried not to harp on the negative thoughts that were going through my head. I tried to focus on the fact that we were trying to raise awareness, walking in solidarity with millions around the world and remembering once again just how much work still needs to be done in our broken world.
So ...
Where do we go from here?
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