Photo by Laura Clardy.
It's not a joke. My feet do not fit my body. I will never forget when I told my friend Ashley that I was going to be tall because my feet were so large. Well, I stopped growing at age 16 when I reached a solid 5'4". My brother would hang me from the balcony and scream, "I'm going to drop you Sasquatch." When I walk you can definitely hear me coming, especially when I wear heels. Even though I have endured the clumsiness that comes with having big feet, I have come to appreciate the two big girls. Some people say, "Go where your heart leads you." I like to say, "Go where your feet lead."
My feet have taken me to some interesting places in some interesting shoes. I have walked the streets of New York, hiked through the deep bushes in Kenya, strolled the cobblestone streets of Seville, stood on top of Mount Nebo in Jordan, and explored beautiful, broken cathedrals in Detroit. If my feet could talk, they would tell you stories that have been lost due to time. The callouses they bare from my shoes would speak to the adventures I have been blessed to embark upon.
Photo by Laura Clardy.
Tomorrow my feet take me to a new place. We will walk together through airports as we journey to India. Since India will feel like a North Carolina summer after a body pump class, I decided to take my Everlane sandals with me. I want to be as close to the ground as possible. I want to feel the dirt as it rolls over my toes. If I trip (and I will trip), I want to have a scar, reminding me of my time. My shoes will help tell a story of service as we walk the streets of Alwar Rajasthan and Jaipur. They will guide me as I walk with one of the women from No Longer Orphans as she journeys from home to work, documenting her beautiful life. I've always wondered why my feet have taken me in the direction to which I am headed.
As I prepare to breathe in the life and experience of a new place and culture, I realize my feet have walked to listen. They have helped me find and mine stories of others to share with the world. My heart desires to serve and my feet give me the courage to do just that.
Shoes: Everlane Italian Ankle-Wrap Sandal // Clutch: Tribe Alive Oversized Clutch // Skirt: J.Crew (similar) // Tank: Madewell (Similar // Necklaces: Tribe Alive Pic Pendant & Bar Necklace