Sole Care

“Ice, elevate and rest,” was the advice from the sports medicine doc I saw last week when I finally lost patience with the aching in the sole of my foot.

For the past few months, I have been slowly increasing my walking distances in preparation for the Camino and thought (mistakenly, apparently!) that I was taking good care of my feet. I was stretching regularly, wearing my plantar fasciitis brace at night, foam rolling the sole of my foot… and still the first step out of bed every morning was achy.

This lingering discomfort had me pondering the very real possibility that my Camino journey may be quite different than what I had been expecting. After allowing myself space for a few “boo-hooey” tears and “woe-is-me’s,” I have been trying to hold it all loosely and remember that God is always with me deep in my soul… regardless of what is going on with my actual sole!

Fortunately the first week of my time in Spain will be staying at the Flores del Camino Retreat Centre where I can continue to “ice, elevate and rest” and let the steroids and anti-inflammatory meds work their magic before our 4-day mini-camino experience begins.

I will do what I can and then pray for eyes to see God’s presence in whatever my feet are able to carry…

Tomorrow evening is Maundy Thursday when we remember the act of Jesus washing the feet of his Disciples and sharing the last supper with them. It has been years since I have participated in a foot washing service. However, this year the sacred act of tending to my feet feels especially important.

The Episcopal church around the corner from my house is having a foot washing service this evening. I think I’ll go.

Thank you God for my feet. Whether they are functioning as I would like or not, I trust that you are walking with me every step of the way. And, for that I am deeply, deeply grateful.

__________

PS. I’m sure there is some kind of bad pun/dad joke about icing my foot with frozen corn and having corns on my feet, but I’m not coming up with it off the top of my head at the moment! Feel free to creatively comment below! :-D