11/05/2007

Calloused?

I've been thinking a lot about what it means to be comfortable lately. I must admit that this blog is only an attempt to sort out some of the "half-thoughts" I've had so far. I think that the value of comfort is too high in our culture, comfort is, after all, some part of pleasure. But what happens when we mistake comfort for numbness? I question whether or not most people know the difference.
Today I picked up my custom-made shoe inserts, because it turns out I have these really crummy feet. "Crummy" meaning that I have high arches and it often feels like my weight is supported by about 3 square inches of foot. As a result, I have incredibly thick calluses. Big deal, right? Having a callus on your foot probably isn't going to hurt you too much, given its function. But, let's flip to emotional callousness. We become hardened as a means of protection, which is probably good at the time. Once the thing (person or situation) that caused the callus is gone, then what are we to do? That callousness is not going to vanish on its own and it may take some time before you're convinced that your hardened extra layers are unnecessary. Removing the physical callus is probably less difficult than removing the emotional kind. And, unlike band-aids, calluses aren't formed overnight and they cannot simply be ripped off, nor will the original surface conditions ever be fully recovered.
Comfort. It's strange to think that we become comfortable with our calluses. It might be more accurately called "protected," but what is the healthy amount of risk, or protection? On one level I think there are things everyone should do that are not necessarily going to be comfortable. There are some pretty incredible "Carpe diem" quotes involving the importance of taking risks in life. But I hesitate here, because sometimes being uncomfortable means that you're not cut out for something. There are times when we are reluctant to do something, not because we fear the uncomfortableness of it, but because it's just not right.
I'm sure more thoughts on comfort are forthcoming, but for now I must face another callus-rendering activity by finishing my paper(S).

3 comments:

Janette said...

Good post :)

So -- is this what was causing your sore foot -- that you thought could be a stress fracture? Glad you had it checked out and glad it sounded like it was something easily fixed!

Anonymous said...

Hey,,,thanks for making me think. I am most definitely 'calloused' in many ways,,,and most of those are probably sins that I either don't want to get rid of or am struggling with. I think we sometimes tend to justify our sin for our own comfort. Ugh...like I said,,,thanks for making me think. Hey,,,I like the new blog and the pictures! AND,,,thanks for the card you guys sent. Thanks so much for thinking of us and praying for us! We love you guys too!

John B. said...

This is very elegant work, highly suggestive of all sorts of possible readings.

Thoreauvian.