We don’t think about our feet a lot, but they are literally the foundation on which our bodies rest. In fact, it was a shift in how the bones of the feet were arranged that was the origin of humanity, allowing us to walk upright. Once we no longer needed our hands to get around, we started thinking about what else our hands could do, and a few million years later, here we are with an entire civilization built by hand.
But we couldn’t have done it without our feet. There are 26 bones in each foot, and 33 joints. The fact that there are more joints than bones in our feet is quite a mystery to me and I’m not sure how to envision that. I was recently in a yoga class where we learned to voluntarily raise our arches for more strength and lower them for more stability, using muscles in our lower leg. In fact, much of the foot is not controlled within the foot itself but by the muscles and tendons that originate in and around the shin and tibia bones. Sometimes I think of my toes as little puppets being operated by a puppet master in my shin. I’ve discovered that there is a lot more mobility in the foot itself than I had thought.
What’s amazing is that this hugely complex structure operates most of the time without our thinking about them. As we move forward, they perform automatically in three parts—the heel first, then the ball of the foot, and last, a push off the toes. Gravity and the laws of physics are key players here too, more phenomena we share that we often take for granted. We step with the left foot, then the right, as our arms swing in countermotion to balance us and improve stability. Honestly, what has to happen to keep us on our feet—walking or even just standing—is astounding.
But we do it, usually with grace (although sometimes not!) every day. It’s another reminder of the commonalities we share, our essential humanity. Sometimes, it’s easier to see the differences between us than what we have in common. But the next time you decide to take a stand on something, think about what you are standing on, what others are standing on, and maybe we can all make more of an effort toward finding common ground.
Every November, I dedicate 30 days to gratitude. This year, I’m focusing on what we share. This is Day 8 of My Gratitude Project 2026.
#gratitude #joy #enjoy #whatweshare #unity #mygratitudeproject #lisadfostercoach
