Need to Breathe

Years ago my family babysat a little boy, who, no matter what season of the year, would sit himself down the second he came into our house, and peel off both his shoes and his socks. He was maybe three years old at the time.

When you asked him why he was taking his socks off, and not just his shoes, he'd answer matter-of-factly, "My feet need to breathe."

I think of him every summer, when flip-flop or barefoot weather finally arrives. I live without socks and shoes for as much of every summer as possible. (My feet need to breathe.)

These are my feet "breathing" after dancing barefoot in a clearing in the mountains yesterday.