Love is...

I remember admiring my akka’s feet when I was little, they were milk white and bright. Mine were dark and with even darker patches. Comparing my body to others did more harm than good to my self esteem in my teen – the middle child with a fairest older sister and an even fairer younger sister. I avoided looking at my feet as they did not give me any good feeling.

 I neglected them. This continued for years. 

After a pedicure from a professional they looked all healthy and shiny, but that lasts hardly for a week. Then back to the blackness. I couldn’t afford that personal service regularly and it seemed like too much work for me to do it myself at home. 

I did not want to let this bother me anymore. 

I started scrubbing my feet when I shower, with a natural loofah that costs less than fifty rupees... just for a few seconds, but everyday. After shower I sit on my bed with my foot above the knee of my other leg. With moisturized hands I massage my foot.  My slithery fingers gently rubbing my foot, one toe at a time. With both my  thumbs I firmly rub each toe from bottom to the nail end.

 I do this only for a minute,  but my entire body feels incredibly relaxed.

Someone said “Love” is “Paying attention” We pay attention if we truly love it. You have a plant, if there’s love then you will water it daily, check if it is getting enough sunlight,  clear out the dead leaves from the pot and so on. That is how you watch it grow, not by abandoning it. 

 Let's pay attention to the body part we have been ignoring for years and change its story.       

 No naughtiness intended ;)