STORYTIME TAPESTRY

Special Treat   - From Me  

March 17, 2005

 Traveling the Road of Life

Carol Roach

Tiny toes, fat and stubby toes, they are connected to small little foot stubs not yet formed into the shape of the adult foot. These little toes experience the sensation of another??™s fingers tighten on them, wiggly them, hold them, and gently squeeze them. It is a good feeling. It is the foundation of ???connectedness??? to other human beings. It is the promise that I am not alone.

Infant feet slide into a soothing warm bathtub. They splash, they kick around, and they feel the warm wet water engulf them. They enjoy the moment of pure unadulterated passion. It is the foundation of trust, the understanding that other human beings can hold my life in their hands and guide me to waters of the deep unknown and I can rejoice in them, I can trust them, I can trust life, and I can trust people.

Toddler feet scurry around touching the floor, touching the bed, the cold, the warm, the soft, the hard, investigating my world. It is the foundation of exploration and the foundation of knowledge and wisdom.

Little feet travel to school for the first time. They feel kicking from another child. It hurts. They did not realize until this moment that feet were meant for kicking, for hurting. They do not like this feeling. The foundation of mistrust, pain and discomfort with fellow humans is seeded within the soul.

Teenage feet expose toes to the world and drink in the warmth of the sunshine. These feet put on Doctor Scholl's exercise sandals. They feel a hard hump that is uncomfortable at the soul of the foot. These feet ignore the discomfort, wear the shoes, and exercise the foot and the leg. The foundations of tenacity and perseverance in order to achieve a goal are founded.

These feet still older, are pampered and cared for. They are rubbed with the loving hand of another. The circulation of blood feels warm and good. They are creamed and powdered. The light dusting of powder is cool to the touch and the smell is oh so sweet. The toenails are painted. They look sexy, they feel sexy, and they feel adored. The foundations of self awareness and the foundations of attraction are seeded. I feel sexy, wanted, loved, and pampered. This feeling of ???connectedness??? is entirely different from the first. No longer am I the child solely thinking of my basic needs being met, but I am the adult wanting to share my basic sexual need with that of another human being. It is a need for mutual pleasure that helps to form the person that I am.

Adult feet playfully touch another foot that is much smaller. These tiny feet fit in the sole of my foot and ever so gently push against my own. It is a feeling that cannot be described in words. But my mind has memorized this feeling and it will be inscribed in my heart??™s special place forever. It is the feeling of my ???connectedness??? with my baby, the soul of my soul, the blood of my blood. It is the feeling of love, not the feeling of being loved, not the pleasure of giving sexual love, but the love of a mother, totally giving, totally unselfish. It is a feeling so very different from any other; a feeling that I never felt before, a feeling that encompasses my universe, and everything that is within me and around me.

This love is special. It is pure, it is kind, it is sweet, and it shows no abandon. It fulfills me like nothing up to this point ever had before. It is the best love of all. The feeling of creation and that "connectedness" has no equal.

These mature feet are getting older now. They are tired. They are huge; sometimes very swollen. They feel heavy. They hurt, they are painful. These feet have known hardship. These feet have felt the heaviness of life's burdens encompass them. These feet are weary. They need rest. These feet crave attention, they crave to be pampered, and they crave to be young again. Yet, they know they cannot turn back the annals of time.

These feet have traveled many roads of life. They will continue to do so for long ago the seeds of love, trust, hard work, and tenacity were planted. These feet will continue on, they will not give up. They will continue on their journey until the day that that they feel the cold rich earth for the very last time. They will continue their journey until the day that they are put down for their eternal rest. They will continue their journey until the day that they will be one with the universe, and one with the creator. They will continue their journey until they feel the true and wonderful bliss.

Carol Roach

winterose @videotron.ca