Pigeon-toed

 

The sermon crescendoed into contemplative silence. What, God? I asked. Speak to me.

In my mind’s eye, I saw a single red boot, on a foot pointing inward. Pigeon-toed, we used to call it, when someone walks with toes pointed inward.

Really, God? Is there a message in one red boot, pigeon-toed?

A person can walk straight ahead despite their walking stance, be it pigeon-toed, duck-footed, or whatever. But probably one’s ankles, knees, hips, and possibly back are negatively impacted by feet not quite aligned. Maybe one’s progress is slowed.

I can be too inwardly focused, my mind pigeon-toed by vision limited by concerns for those closest to me. My thoughts can twist like a tornado round situations and personal challenges. I’m aware of and concerned for the larger picture, too, but my default thinking pattern centres round close relationships.

Nearly thirty years ago, we welcomed a wonderful family of displaced people into our home for a very short period, but those weeks impacted our children’s mindsets and compassionate hearts much more than a million of our words of discipline, correction, or challenge ever could have. When we opened our doors to this family, we had two children dealing with the turbulence of adolescence, and two primary children, one of whom was very apprehensive and the other who was young enough to relish the thought of a couple more kids younger than he was. Don’s business was not routine or particularly reliable. But somehow God helped us to look outward, to straighten our feet and stop walking pigeon-toed, and the result was beautiful in ways unanticipated and lifelong.

This year, I ask God to help me straighten my feet and lift my head to see things beyond my immediate family. May my prayers focus on global issues, situations of brutal injustice and pain, and may my activity reflect a new level of engagement.

I don’t know whether this makes sense to anyone else, but it is certainly speaking to my heart today. Thank you, Tony, for enabling such reflection with the words of your sermon.