Day 113-Inheritance

You inherited your freckles from your dad, your blue eyes from your mom, and your earlobes from your grandma. 

Lots of gals think that they've inherited their unpleasant corns, bunions and hammertoes from their female ancestors, too. 

I'm too sexy for my feet...no, really.

Not so. 

But, you did inherit your posture, alignment and gait patterns from your mom or dad. For reals. 

My nephew was adopted from Russia when he was a toddler. Four years after he joined the Hemmat gang, I watched him walk after his adoptive father while we were in Hawaii. They walked EXACTLY alike, right out to the way they held their arms and turned their feet out. It was hilarious, and at the time, I didn't understand the ramifications of our alignment. 

It does matter, though. 

So, we inherit our walking and postural patterns from our folks, and we also can inherit our fashion ideals from our parents. If you've watched your mom totter and teeter along in too-high shoes from your infancy, then it's likely that you are going to assume that's what women wear on their feet. 

Our habits are not inherited. They are learned. Those bunions aren't your mother's. They're only yours. 

My kids were given some money for school clothes by their Bubbe, and they were allowed to pick whatever they wanted. Much to my chagrin, they both chose to buy "Heelys"--shoes that have little wheels in the heels. Yikes!

So, the shoes come from Zappos, we take them out of the box and I'm SHOCKED at how high and inflexible these shoes are---I wanted to cry about my poor little babies' alignment that was going to be thrown out of whack by these instruments of torture. 

Sigh. 

Fortunately, after clomping around in the house, BOTH kids decided they did not want to keep the shoes. I tried to keep cool as they made their decisions, but inside I was cartwheeling and cheering. 

Then, my little girl, my cool, strong, unique and self-assured little girl told me she instead wanted to buy shoes like I wear--my juvenile Converse Chuck Taylor oxfords. Simple, cool and HEALTHY. I was so proud. 

So, you see, we do inherit our habits from our parents. What are you modeling for those who follow in your footsteps? 

Did you know that the reason Michelle Obama exercises almost every day? So her daughters see a woman take care of herself. A woman who can be strong and healthy and love her body. She is remarkable, truly a woman of valor. 

And that is the potential within us all--to live our lives as a good example for those that follow, whether or not we have children of our own, or even if our children are grown. 

Live well, be well, 
Dani