Many of us know of the TOMS Shoes campaign, "One Day Without Shoes". If you want more details, you may go to this address, but the basic idea is for those of us who are privileged to own a pair of shoes (and many of us own 5+ pairs!) to not wear shoes for a day in honor of those who cannot afford even this basic need. Ideally, this would cause people to ask, "Why on earth aren't you wearing shoes?!" From there, you can spread the word of the thousands of people world-wide who are in need of a simple pair of shoes.
I love the idea of it, and I definitely think it's a great way to spread awareness of global poverty.
This year, however, my "One Day Without Shoes" had a little spin put on it… I went "One Day Without Shoes" in India, and the city with the highest poverty rate, at that!
The experience was a good one! Let me preface my tale by saying that no, at the end of the day there was not broken glass or other foreign objects in my foot. I did not contract gang green or a crazy foreign fungus, all of my toes are still present, my arches did not disappear, and the cracks in my feet were already there. A little dirt and a new perspective were all I gained.
Firstly, my "One Day Without Shoes" served as a reminder to pray for those who are in need. Secondly, I'll admit that it's kind of a funny story and I do feel a little cool being able to say, "Yeah, I went without shoes in India."
Thirdly, and most importantly, a little dose of reality never hurt anyone. To go without shoes was humiliating at some points; I can only imagine the humiliation of people a person who really just can't afford a pair of shoes. To go without shoes was funny when people would ask or laugh; I'm not sure it's all that funny to someone who genuinely doesn't have shoes. To go without shoes was a little weird in that I could feel the sidewalk, the rocks, the water, the sharp objects, the whatever was beneath my feet; I am sure a person without shoes would would never use the word "weird" to explain what they feel beneath their feet.
Finally, to go "One Day Without Shoes" was to literally "walk a mile in the shoes" of a person with none. The day left me with a great sense of compassion for my fellow human beings. To feel what they feel every day was humbling and eye-opening.
In all honesty, I am not yet sure where to go with this experience. For starters, you and I can shop TOMS Shoes here – for every pair of shoes purchased, TOMS will give a new pair of shoes to a child in need.
Other than that, I have an experience that has lead me to want to take action… any suggestions?
