In the chapter on “Foot Care,” in my recently published book, WildWood Magic: Walking as a Sacred Path, I discuss ways to keep the feet healthy and happy. Underappreciated and often overlooked as a peculiar-looking appendage, they can take you wherever you wish to go! When it comes to walking, hiking, backpacking… or really any activity involving the feet… they quickly become the most important item on the list of essential equipment. They also have no qualms whatsoever about letting you know when they are unhappy. The nitty-gritty of the entire chapter is basically, Love Your Feet, and they will love you back.
[I can’t help myself… by the way… My general counsel on foot care for walkers is simply to keep them as clean, dry, and fungus-free as possible. Cut your toenails short, (mindfully) use a pumice stone and a soapy nail brush on occasion, throw in a little heel balm, and slather them with coconut oil. Oh, and I treat myself to a pedicure once or twice a year as a SELF-CARE ritual. Just sitting in that massage chair while someone makes your feet feel super nice is luxury at its finest!]
Anyway, toenail-cutting tips aside, I really want to share how pleased I was to have my handy dandy multitool in my pocket on my walk today! About a mile or two into it, I started feeling a sharp pain in the side of my toe. Of course, this never would have happened if I had been backpacking because I wear “toe sock” liners, but typically only with my heavy boots. My toenails had grown out a little, and I had sharp corners from cutting them straight across while in a hurry and not softening the pokey edges. (Which I highly recommend doing if you are prone to ingrown toenails, but don’t forget to lightly file the sharp pointy edges to avoid this from happening to you!)
The pain was small but mighty! I stopped right on the side of the street, took off my shoe and sock, whipped out my little Leatherman with the best-damn-scissors-ever, and trimmed those suckers off! I was so relieved and overjoyed to have precisely what I needed with me.
Pick your tools carefully! I carried a pocketknife for years, but the tool I use the most is scissors! My multitool isn’t the lightest thing in the world, but the frequency in which I use it outweighs (yes, pun intended, lol) my need to always have the ultra-lightest of everything. Consistently feeling totally prepared and having exactly what you need… whether you’re walking in the neighborhood park or backpacking a long trail… brings an inner satisfaction found nowhere else. Want to feel more prepared on your walks? Download my FREE comprehensive guide, Walking as a Sacred Practice, HERE:
Happy walking!
xo Collin
