Did you know that the human foot and ankle is a strong and complex mechanical structure containing exactly 26 bones, 33 joints (20 of which are actively articulated), and more than a hundred muscles, tendons, and ligaments? I am thinking a lot about feet these days because I stubbed my left big toe so hard while I was away on vacation that I am now in an orthopedic shoe with a slight fracture and over-extended ligament. Suddenly I am struggling with both a physical ailment and a spiritual dilemma: what happens when my two most efficacious coping mechanisms—yoga and long walks are side-lined??
Our feet are how we contact the ground. They connect us to the earth. And they are our primary form of mobility. Certainly, feet were the mode of transport for those in the bible. I have always loved this passage from Isaiah—‘blessed are the feet of the messenger,’ not the messenger’s lips, which bring the good news, or her eyes as she proclaims it, of even the good news itself—but it is the feet that must be blessed.
Our feet balance us in the world. Think about watching a child learn to walk—balance must be learned. Our feet can also tell us who we are. Frederick Buechner had this to say: “Generally speaking, if you want to know who you really are, as distinct from who you like to think you are, keep an eye on where your feet take you.” I find myself off balance and shaken a bit by this limitation on my freedom. I feel a little lost without my usual outlets. On the other hand, I am supremely grateful for the feet that I have, the feet that have carried me thus far through my amazing life. It appears God is inviting me to spend more time being still, not moving so fast, trusting that rest will restore my toe; blessing my feet in a different way.
Who is God calling you to be? Where are your feet taking you these days?
Maybe try a walking meditation this weekend. Let your feet take you where they want to go. Walk without a destination or purpose. Stop when they want to stop, breath, notice, observe, don’t count steps! And let your soul catch up with you.
– The Rev. Ann Gillespie
