If the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach, is the way to a woman’s heart through her feet? In my case, the answer is a resounding yes.
I love getting a foot massage, and if I were a princess living in a castle with servants at my beck and call, I’d have one every day for hours on end while relaxing with a wonderful book.
Unfortunately I’m not a princess and I don’t live in a castle. I’m a middle-aged gal living in a messy ‘70s house with a husband, a son, a daughter and two dogs – none of whom will endlessly rub my feet.
It’s not as though massages never happen in my house; they do. My daughter or I will often ask my husband for a massage while we’re watching TV. Because she has more free time, my daughter is usually the recipient.
My life is so busy that I don’t even give myself a pedicure before going for reflexology. Are you wondering what reflexology is? Okay, it’s the touching of feet, if you must know. But it’s also a healing procedure.
I discovered it a few years ago when my friend and neighbour would come over to my house to give me a treatment. The theory is that all parts of the body are connected to the bottom of the feet, so tension and ailments within us can be improved through a strategic foot massage by a registered practitioner.
I didn’t have any ailments to complain about, but I had all sorts of stress that seemed to soften after having my feet in her hands. I also was able to engage in some social interaction with my friend and saw that as valuable time spent. But because of my hectic schedule I only had a few sessions with Karen before she switched to a different profession. And then, as fate would have it, another one of my friends switched professions as well – to reflexology.
I like to believe that everything happens for a reason and the reason my friend Kim Girard went to school to become a registered practitioner in reflexology was so I would resume getting my feet touched and be forced to get pedicures so they would look pretty enough to deserve her treatment.
“Your feet are fine,” Kim said when I shared my regret over not filing down the callouses and polishing my nails before my first appointment with her. “I’ve seen worse.”True or not, I felt better after she said that, but I vowed to have a pedicure before visiting her at Sole Reflection Reflexology the next time. And I did. And I felt better.
Preparing my feet before seeing Kim is similar to tidying my house and putting everything away before the house cleaner arrives. Not that I actually have a house cleaner. But if I were a princess in a castle I would for sure.