Farm Feet

My mom’s birthday was two days ago.  It was a blessing to have the whole family together, including my lovely Aunt Donna.  The family met my Cousin and I in Costa Rica after we finished volunteering on the farm in Nicaragua.

The morning began with a looooong breakfast (just the way I like it, you can't rush a good meal) - fresh fruit plate, followed by an omelet filled with spinach, olives, roasted red peppers and feta cheese, and the grand finale.. warm French toast.
Oh my, it was good.

Afterwards we all got pedicures.  Well not Dad, just the girls.  I refused to get one with Mom until I finished my time on the farm.  It just wouldn’t have been worth it.  For me it had been quite a long time  since I had been pampered like that.  

I loved the scrubs, the smell of mint, the cooling gel in between my toes, her soft hands made me doze off a bit too.  Afterwards I didn’t recognize my feet.  So clean and polished, as if they were brand new. 

I rubbed them and yup, smooth as a baby’s bottom.  I get it now, why people love this so much.  Though I have to admit I felt a tinge of sadness afterwards. 

I felt like a little kid who had spent all afternoon building a sand castle in the sun and then a big wave came, washing it all away.  The last remnants of the farm were gone. 
The stories, the heat, the soil, the sweat, the joy.  

That sweet woman, bless her heart, picked every speck of dirt from under my nails.  I watched her intently as she took the huge toothpick like tool and erased it all.  She scrubbed the sides, bottoms, and tops of my feet, even in-between my toes with the brush to remove callus.

Callus I had worked hard to acquire.
Callus that made the really hard days not so bad.

I thanked my feet in my head as she worked.
Thank you for being my support.
Thanks for getting me up and down every hill. 

Thanks for not slipping on muddy rocks during the rainy season.  Well, we fell a few times, didn't we?  Though we always got back up again. 
Thanks for jumping on and of buses, buses that were often still in motion.  

Thanks for hiking 4 hours up that volcano with me.  And thanks for bringing me back down.

Yesterday I took off my shoes to examine them once more and smiled to see that a bit of polish had rubbed off.

Ah yes, there you are.   Imperfect feet, it's nice to see you again.