Go Barefoot

Wow.

That is the only word that comes to mind after watching that video.

Wow.

The Barefoot Challenge. Will you participate? Can you?

National Volunteer Week is taking place April 19 – 25, 2009. Twelve year old Bilaal Rajan is asking you, and me, to join him in this challenge during that week. All you have to do is go barefoot.

Sounds easy, right?

Let's think about it for a minute.

This means on those cold mornings, at 6:20 am, not shoving my feet into my fuzzy crocs to walk the kids to the bus stop.

This means when it is raining I don't get to wear something dry on my feet.

This means when I go to the store, I must walk through the parking lot, on the hot pavement, without the buffer of flip flops.

This means my feet will be dirty. Filthy, actually. If you know me, you know I can not stand to have dirty feet.

This means I will have to make the choice not to put shoes on my feet.

Do you know how many people don't even have that choice to make?

Too many.

I've heard it said you need to walk a mile in a person's shoes to know how hard their life is. Well, for this week, you have to walk in the footsteps, not the shoes, of those less fortunate. Will it be easy? Absolutely not. Will it be comfortable? I doubt it. Will it mean something? Without a doubt.

Maybe it will make people take a moment and be thankful for what they have. Maybe it will open people eyes to the disadvantages of others. Maybe it will just make people think.