- HERE FOOT, THEREFOOT, BUT NEVER BAREFOOT : Although he author has rightly tried to highlight the woes and hazards of walking barefoot, but the condition of ‘unhealthy’ territory does not sound healthy in itself. Reason : Every inch of this planet of humans has been turned polluted by the unhealthy activities of the humans themselves. Gone are the days when many of the youngsters and oldies alike used to walk whistling on the streets barefoot, and the poets used to write poems and couplets on the cheerful moods of such people. The 19th century American poet, John GREENLEAF WHITTIER, had likewise written following poem on this matter : BLESSINGS ON THEE, LITTLE MAN---BAREFOOT BOY, WITH CHEEK OF TAN !---WITH THY TURNED-UP PANTALOONS---AND THY MERRY WHISTLED TUNES. Some medical researchers have presented some evidences on the healthy aspects of barefoot activity for children as well as adults. A book, “Take Off Your Shoes And Walk”, written by SIMON J. WIKLER, has motivated a group of parents to encourage their children to walk barefoot for good health. The author of the book, Dr. Wikler, D.S.C. ( doctor of surgical chiropody ), has attempted to explained how shoes often deform and distort your feet ; hence don’t wear shoes. The most unwise advise in today's era of extreme pollution and filth on the roads is to ask some one to go barefoot. In most of the developing countries where every inch of every lane and road is polluted with world's every variety of bacteria, viruses, spores of deadly fungi, worms, and vivid toxins, it will be a self-invitation to disease and death by walking barefoot. The 16th century English divine and poet, GEORGE HERBERT, had said : "HE THAT GOES BAREFOOT MUST NOT PLANT THORNS”. The very suggestion that for so-called good health one should walk barefoot is to invite trouble of skin diseases of the foot, and sometimes cancer and / or death by tetanus, etc. The 17th century English poet, SIR JOHN SUCKLING, in the year 1637, in his poetry titled “A Ballad Upon a Wedding,” had, in his own style, tried to advise the ladies to be careful and shy while walking, as follows : HER FEET BENEATH HER PETTICOAT---LIKE LITTLE MICE, STOLE IN AND OUT---AS IF THEY FEARED THE LIGHT. Now my advise : ALWAYS BE CAUTIOUS WHILE WALKING,---DO NOT WALK EVEN WITHOUT STOCKING---NOT ADHERING TO THE ADVISE , RESULT WILL BE SHOCKING.
(Posted on July 29, 2007, 2:04 pm G. S. JOHAR)
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