These Tired Feet

I looked down at my toes and saw one red toenail from the pedicure I’d had five months ago and sighed. Whose feet are these, I thought. They can’t be mine. When did my feet turn into these neglected, sad appendages? I’d once taken great care of my feet. I sighed as thought back to regular pedicures and missed my beautician, who I hadn’t seen in months. These days, If I fit one pedicure into a year it was quite the treat.

I looked at my hands, and asked, “Whose hands are these, whose fingernails?” I sighed at my fingernails with bits of polish remaining on each one from a two-month-old manicure. My once regularly manicured nails now only saw special attention once or twice a year, about as much as my feet. I looked at my nails with longing for those monthly manicure days.

Looking down at my once flat belly, I sighed. I used to be thinner. What happened? I mused as I sucked in my extra pooch. Oh yeah … I became a mother. That’s why my hands are so dry, from washing them 12 plus times a day after each diaper change.

Then I looked at my two young children and smiled. I looked at my belly and remembered a time when I had no idea what it felt like to carry a child, to feel that baby move within me. I looked at this belly and thought, thank you for doing that so I could know what the miracle is all about.

I peered down at my feet and marveled that I used to not know what it felt like to carry the weight of my child. To hold them in my arms until my arms went numb. I once didn’t know what it felt like to rock a baby to sleep and to want to hold on forever.

Gazing at my neglected and unpolished toes, I thanked these tired feet for carrying the extra weight so I could bear two beautiful children.

I held up my hands and marveled at how much they could do and thought about when I had no idea what it felt like to hold my child’s hand in my own. I looked at these tired hands and thanked them for all the holding, the hugging, the high-fiveing and lift-upping.

I smiled at this belly and marveled at how it had stretched, thought back to how it had moved. I thanked this tired body for the wondrous act it performed and smiled. For this body, this perfectly imperfect body is all mine, and it helped to create two beautiful, perfect little people who I have the honor to raise and care for.

“And yes, it’s definitely time for that mani-pedi,” I said with a smile. It’s time to physically thank these tired hands and feet who have learned to hold not just my extra weight, but the weight of two new people. So, I may not go to the salon monthly for manicures. I may not go regularly again for years. But I wouldn’t give up what I have now for all the pampering in the world. Not at all. These tired feet are part of the new me, and I’m so grateful for her.

Yet, some pampering is good. Yes, some is very good.

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Copyright © 2017 Katherine J. Wheeler. All rights reserved.

Author: pixiedustandwhiskey

Hi there! I’m Katherine, a former higher education professional turned housewife, blogger and entrepreneur. My blog is about finding happily ever after in the middle of the mundane, using gratitude and a positive mindset to turn the ordinary into extraordinary. I like to tell stories, so this is a collection of short stories, some true, some fiction, to hopefully inspire more happiness in this broken world. View all posts by pixiedustandwhiskey