Birds do it, bees do it and even some Carmelites do it. That’s right, folks.

I’m talking about not wearing shoes, more commonly known as barefooting. Undoubtedly, you’ve noticed the growing number of people who now choose to go about their daily lives without shoes – or, at least, give them up for a day. You’ve probably wondered, ” Is that safe?” ; “Is that sanitary?” ; or “Why do they do that?” Well, lucky for you, I’m here to answer all these questions – and more.

I first will tell you that, while some studies suggest that barefooting is better for your feet than wearing shoes, and even more studies suggest that wearing shoes can cause more harm for your feet than good, I don’t barefoot for these reasons. My primary reason for barefooting is simply that it is more comfortable.

Think about it: every morning when I wake up and head out the door, I don’t have to squeeze my feet into those dreaded foot traps you call shoes.

On top of that, I’m promoting better arch health, and I avoid the foot odor associated with leaving feet locked up in those sweatboxes.

Now, in regard to the safety of going barefoot, I can tell you that in the almost two years I have lived without shoes, I’ve only had two foot related injuries.

Before you ask, no, I did not step on glass, and no, I did not get a fungus or worm. Simply put, being barefoot is about being aware of your environment and avoiding these dangers.

Most worms and fungi thrive in moist environments and pose a great threat for people whose feet aren’t properly dried. Wearing shoes with wet feet actually helps fungi thrive because the environment is warm and moist.

In regard to glass, nails and other assorted sharp objects, these dangers can be easily avoided.

This is also where I make a shameless plug and call the people of Loyola to clean up after yourselves!

Some of us do not like watching our environment polluted, and your trash poses a danger to more than Mother Earth.

As for other assorted questions: yes, I do own shoes; no, I’m not doing this a penance or for other religious reasons; yes, they make me wear shoes in the O,R,; no, I don’t have a foot fetish; yes my feet are calloused; and yes, they are dirtier than yours.

For a closing note, I would like to encourage others to try this growing barefoot trend. You’ll be pleasantly surprised by what you learn about yourself and your environment when you are more in touch with it.