Singing with my Feet

I have been singing with the same group of people for ten years now. There has been a recurring joke over these last ten years that I sing with my feet.

I rather like this expression, because as a youngster, while I enjoyed very much doing musical theater, I was not terribly talented in the dance department. Sure, I could learn one single tap step to get me through playing Kathy Selden, or one little softshoe for Eliza Doolittle. I could fake it because I sang well enough to pull the wool over Mr. Sillers’ eyes.

Long story longer. Our church has a genuinely top-notch group of musicians, among whom I am proud to numbered. After the first time I got up to sing with them ten years ago, our lead pastor made the joke, to all 2500 parishoners and 8000 people across the world who watch our service online and said, “Well, now we know what it looks like for someone to sing with their feet.”

I hear the same joke from someone almost every week. Now, let’s be honest. Many church songs talk about dancing but most people just stand there. I don’t just stand there. I stomp my feet. I direct the band with all kinds of understandable gestures, but my feet are what set the tone.

Enter yesterday, when I was wearing those beauties up top, my El Naturalista boots. My recycled rubber soled, handcrafted in Spain. Oh, how I love those shoes.

Well, guess what. The heel of my El Naturalista handcrafted, recycled rubber soled boot flew off of my shoe and across the stage and I still had an hour to go.

Needless to say, when I go pick up the Elf Boots, I will be exchanging them for my other favorite shoes. For all the money I was supposed to be saving by not buying any clothes this year, I do seem to be spending a fortune at the shoe repair shop…