And no I don’t mean the towel (then it would be Ode to my Manduka towel, or more accurately still, Ode to lululemon’s “The Mat”).
No this is a post honoring my actual toes.
Oh fearless toes, you so deserve a big thank you. Thank you for literally supporting me in yoga and in life; for allowing me to find balance in my Warrior Three and then also on my way home from bars. For spreading wide in my handstand and being that extra oomph that I need to stay up just a second or two longer.
Thank you for knowing when to relax, like in Warrior Two, and letting the balls of my feet take my weight. Thank you for tiptoeing into headstand and not being too damaged after careless jump backs. Also thank you for accepting the mat burn I’ve given you while learning Ashtanga-style jump-throughs and the stubbing action that happens sometimes when I move from handstand to Chaturanga.
Thank you for understanding that you will never be as pretty as my non-yogi friends’ toes, because they don’t have weird calluses on the tips from rolling over them through Vinyasas. You are so confident!
Thank you for accepting that your pedicures will be few and far between and short lived when you are treated to them. Thank you for allowing me to stuff you into high heels on the weekend and then refusing to cry out in pain as I pop weekend blisters during weekday practices.
It’s you and me, toes. You me and the bandhas that make my yoga practice what it is. You are probably the strongest part of me and yet I walk all over you. You are fearless, toes. Fearless! You bear the brunt of my practice while my arms and shoulders claim all the glory for themselves whenever I don sleeveless tops. No one ever compliments you. No one ever tells you how toned you’ve become since I started beating you up every day with yoga. But you’re stronger than anyone would ever guess. You’re the unsung heroes of my yoga practice. From the little guy on my left foot to the weird little one on my right (with that bump I suspect is a corn…) you are my saving grace in every asana.
And so one last time: Thank you, toes for being so bomb ass awesome!
XO
Heather C
Have a Great Weekend!!!
Aww! You should but your toes those special Vibram Fivefinger shoes.
My good friend swears by those, but somehow I just can’t find a good place to wear them
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Good one! When I look at my toes, I’m pretty much thinking the same, though mine are mainly ruined from ballroom and tap dancing. I should treat them much better and appreciate them a lot more, because mostly, I get annoyed with them because they don’t look as pretty as those owned by girls who are no pro dancers and yogis. (Taking a peek at them now and saying a silent thank you.)
Awesome post. (c: It’s about time someone recognized the humble toe. My boyfriend and I joke about ugly feet…well, sometimes there’s a good reason that they aren’t all pretty and delicate–we work them hard! We expect a lot out of them! We really do throw them out as the first line of defense when doing those jumpbacks…(c: Thanks for the smile!