Bare Feet and Bubbles

For as long as I can remember, I haven’t liked going barefoot. I don’t know the reason, but I always have something on my feet, even in my house. It can’t be just socks either. I’m nearly always wearing shoes, boots or slippers. I’m more comfortable that way. The consequence of nearly always wearing shoes is that my feet are quite sensitive.

For most people, the act of going barefoot toughens their feet and makes it easier to walk with bare feet. The more your feet are exposed to irritants, the more protection you have against something you might step on. The skin on the bottom of your feet thickens, the nerve endings become less sensitive and you gain the ability to step on increasingly unsmooth things. But, because I rarely venture anywhere without protecting my feet, anytime I step on anything other than a completely smooth surface, I find it very uncomfortable.

So, I wear shoes. All the time.

Let’s say that I wanted to be able to walk around the block barefoot. But, as I mentioned, my feet are too sensitive for me to do that. There are a couple of ways I could approach the problem. Let’s call them “Plan A” and “Plan B”.

With Plan A, I would insist everyone make sure that the sidewalks in front of their houses are smooth like glass. The pathways must have no imperfections at all. Cracks, small stones, windblown mulch and leaves wouldn’t be allowed. And, my neighbors would also need to make sure that the sidewalks didn’t get too hot. Everyone would need to spend time, money and energy to make sure there is nothing in my path that could, in any way at all, make my too-sensitive feet feel uncomfortable.

As long as I could get everyone to make and keep their sidewalks absolutely perfect, I could take a stroll around the block without slippers, shoes or boots.

But there’s another way. There’s Plan B.

Plan B is much simpler. I can change myself. All I need to do is to start walking around barefoot.

Sure, it may be uncomfortable at first. But the more I do it, the easier it will become. In no time at all, going barefoot would thicken the skin on my feet, and desensitize them to the minor irritants that most people don’t even feel. In a few short weeks, not only would I be able to take a lap around the neighborhood, I’d also be able to feel the sand between my toes at the beach, walk on the grass in my backyard and do countless other things that people with well-adjusted feet do every day. All without discomfort.

Both plans will work. But one is much more practical to implement and delivers bigger benefits.

With Plan A, I have to change everyone in my neighborhood. With Plan B, I only need to change myself.

While it is true that I always wear something on my feet, clever readers will have already figured out that I’m really not talking about my feet.

The “I’m Offended” generation grew up in nice, safe bubbles created by over-protective parents. Inside their bubble, they weren’t exposed to the minor irritants that, those of us who don’t have a bubble, face on a daily basis. So, they never learned to have thick skin and they never learned to simply deal with things on their own.

Now those bubble kids are grown up and they need to do adult-things like to go work and buy groceries. Here’s the problem: The only place they feel safe is inside their bubble made of teddy bear hugs. But that bubble isn’t large enough to allow them to go to work or buy groceries or do anything else that well-adjusted adults do every day without getting their feelings hurt.

If you’re one of those bubble kids, you have two options:

You can try to make sure you never get your feelings hurt by forcing everyone to change, making your bubble appear to be larger. But, you could still be offended because you’ll never get everyone to be perfect about everything, all the time.

Or, you can change yourself.

You can stop trying to change people and simply deal with any issues you find in your path. Sure, it may be uncomfortable at first, but the more you do it, the easier it will become. You’ll learn that hurt feelings aren’t fatal and that feeling a little discomfort now will save you a lot of pain later. You’ll see that by not allowing yourself to be hurt by every little thing, you will open up your world in unimaginable ways.

In no time at all you’ll be able to go to work, shop for groceries and do everything that well-adjusted people do. All without being offended.