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Roger J. Wendell
Defending 3.8 Billion Years of Organic Evolution^SM

Barefoot: A lifetime without shoes!

"People usually consider walking on water or in thin air a miracle.
But I think the real miracle is not to walk either on water or in thin
air, but to walk on earth. Every day we are engaged in a miracle
which we don't even recognize: a blue sky, white clouds, green
leaves, the black, curious eyes of a child -- our own two eyes.
All is a miracle."
                            - Thich Nhat Hanh

Click Here to listen to my interview with Stephanie Welch from the Society of Barefoot Living!

Me, at age 38 (1994) on top of Devils Tower, Wyoming

Well, okay, for clarification I do wear shoes when necessary! I have donned footwear at the office when working for others, doing construction projects, climbing to 6,000 metres, or anywhere else that shoes, sandals, or boots make sense. However, at all those other times in my life, throughout my entire life, I've gone without shoes - at home, a walk through my town, shopping, sightseeing, cycling, driving a car, and even some hiking and climbing. In the spring of 2014 I applied for membership in the Society of Barefoot living. Here's part of what I wrote during the application process: I'm writing this self-introduction as an elder, in his early retirement years, having gone barefoot (whenever possible) since my earliest memories. Not because I wanted to be different, "cool," or anything else but, simply, because it's always felt good, natural and "right." Long ago my wife and I banned all footwear in our home - believing that bare feet are not only more gentle on our floors but that they also provide a sensitivity and intimacy to living that can't be realized with footwear. The same applies to the outdoors (and even in the cold and snow at times) - bare feet better connect us with our surroundings, the natural world, and our existence here on this precious little planet we call home. It's a small thing, but bare feet really do bring us one step closer to caring for ourselves, those around us, and the Earth. A few days later, and after some follow-up questions, I received the following: Welcome to the Society for Barefoot Living (SBL), the group for cool barefooted people. We'd officially like to welcome you to the SBL, as your application has now been approved by our Membership Committee. We are always happy to welcome other like-minded souls to the group and look forward to hearing from you. Soon you should begin receiving SBL posts via email.

Decades before I interviewed barefoot activists on my radio show (Sandler, in the video further below, and the aforementioned SBL) I was instinctivly shedding my shoes whenever
possible. Those constrictive, sweaty (and smelly!), expensive, clunky, awkward, and horrible looking boots, shoes, sandles, and other footwear never held my attention for long...

Me at the Taj Mahal mausoleum in India	Me climbing barefoot in Canyonlands	Barefoot on Storm Peak, Colorado
My barefoot car camp at Winfield, Colorado	Please don't wear shoes in my house!	That's my toe! Check out my Insects page!

Reasons:
 
We all have a variety of reasons for most of the things we do in life. The following is
a kind of checklist as to why I go without shoes whenever possible. I know, some of this
hasn't been substantiated by science or medicine but, nevertheless, it's how I feel!
- Roger J. Wendell

• Comfort! Shoes are unnatural and require either becoming "conditioned" to them or searching endlessly for the perfect fit. (We all know stories of how shoes have hurt a person's foot causing blisters or even worse)
• Foot microbial health. Shoes are incubators for all kind of bacteria and fungus that are not only unhealthy, but can be smelled from a considerable distance as well!
• Toenail health. Going barefoot results in fewer ingrown nails, torn nails, or discoloration and decay from the aforementioned attacks by bacteria and fungus.
• Overall sanitation. Shoes track germs, feces, dried urine, lawn fertilizer, road tar, automobile oil, and countless other contaminants without the wearer's awareness. (Yes, I regularly clean or wash my feet whenever I've walked over questionable surfaces!)
• Joint health. I think it's more than luck that by age 60 [when this note was added in 2016] I've never had (knock on wood!) foot, ankle, or knee pain. Granted, at one time or another I've broken bones in my foot and fractured my knee and tibia but these injuries were due to climbing accidents. Despite these accidents, and thousands of miles of hiking and running, my feet and joints feel great at age 60!
• Increased awareness. Like everyone else I love the feeling of beach sand or summer grass beneath my feet. Unlike others, thanks to a lifetime of going barefoot, I also love the feel of smooth Colorado granite or Utah sandstone beneath my feet as well! And, sometimes, snow on a warm winter's day can feel amazingly great and refreshing! Bare feet give me increased sensation and tactile feedback on all kinds of textures and surfaces. Bare feet also increases my awareness of my surroundings. I love it!
• Environmental benefits. The more people go without shoes means there will be less shoe manufacturing (and harvesting animal skins) with less waste ending up in landfills. Also, walking, running, or hiking without shoes (when it's reasonable to do so) is less damaging to grass, brush, and sensitive environments and ecosystems like the high alpine tundra we have here in Colorado. Barefooters tend to be more environmentally conscious - we don't normally litter or throw beer bottles onto the sidewalk, for obvious reasons! And, when in public, we generally clean up after our pets for even more obvious reasons!
• Lower maintenance costs. Much less wear and tear on finished floors, carpets, doorway thresholds, wall base molding or other surfaces that are regularly kicked and scuffed while wearing shoes.
• Saves Time and money! Shopping for shoes is time consuming and expensive. And, who hasn't been in a hurry for some appointment only to be slowed down by having to find and put on your shoes!
• Temperature control. Much more comfortable during warmer months!
• "Waterproof." Much easier (and more fun!) to splash through a puddle, fountain, reflection pool, muddy intersection, or wet lawn!
• Spirituality. Although I'm not a "spiritual" person I do consider this life and planet to be very special. My bare feet make me feel much more connected to the Earth and the fabulous web of life that it's harbored for these many billions of years. I think going barefoot makes me more mindful and appreciative of this special existence - I feel fortunate to have experienced life this way and hope you'll give it a try, too!

Survivalist Cody Lundin has similar thoughts:
(Cody was a guest on my radio show on 09/21/2018)

Often, when asked why he goes barefoot, Cody answers like this;   "I like my feet tough. Prisoners of war were always stripped of their shoes as without them they were less likely or able to run. Going barefoot forces me to pay attention to my environment. I see more, I have better focus, I feel a greater connection to the planet; all very valuable survival traits. Due to the forced, free range of motion that my feet and ankles are forced to deal with, they are both very strong. On the 'everyday life' side of things, the majority of the situations in my life do not require footwear... so why would I consume a resource when it's not necessary? I also like the challenge."

Click Here for the barefoot/grounding movie, DOWN TO EARTH | The Earthing Movie 15 min Short Film

Please Do Not Wear Shoes in the House!

"This custom of removing your footwear before entering a home has many benefits; First, it makes for a much quieter environment, one without all kinds of footgear clanging around; second, it makes for a much cleaner home because you leave the dirt of the outside world where it belongs - outside; third, it puts everybody at their real height and does away with all this three-inch-heel intimidation; fourth, it provides a sensuality in walking about that the hard soles of a shoe deny you; fifth, it lets your feet breathe; sixth, it gives you a chance to show off your socks, a part of our dresswear that seldom gets seen otherwise; seventh, you can tell who is already in the house by giving the shoes outside a quick once-over, thereby avoiding contact with a person(s) you may want to avoid. I could continue, but I think you get the point."   - Dirk Benedict in his book, Confessions of a Kamkiaze Cowboy, p. 124

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