What is it like to always have your feet firmly planted on the ground?

Another oldie but goodie -- I know it's a little rediculous to do this. But hey!! some of this is genious! :P

I ponder today: what is it like to always have your feet firmly planted on the ground? I must warn that when I ask this question, I am not speaking metaphorically, nor is this going to be an existential discussion with myself. I mean this question in the most literal of terms.
I've always thought that the view a tall person has of the world must be shockingly different from that of a short person. Elevators (and crowded spaces in general) must be such a different experience depending on our height. You've heard the joke about elevators smelling very different to little people, but it applies at five feet and inches as well. (Though most likely not quite as extreme. Armpits versus crotches? no contest!) Standing in small crowded spaces, nose on level with numerous strangers' armpits, trying ascertain whether it is better to breathe through your mouth, your nose, or if you can make it to the 4th floor without having to breathe in at all. Through your nose and you find yourself all too aware and intimate with numerous strangers' personal hygiene habits (or lack thereof.) Habits that range from non-existant, moderately noxious, mildly offending and not too bad. Even mildly offending can be pretty bad if you get more than one offender in the same elevator...needless to say, its not a tempting option! Through your mouth and you remember that 'smells' only occur when miniscule particles of the source become lodged in your nasal cavity, and do you really want those same miniscule particles in your mouth? Not breathing at all - well thats an option but higher you have to go and the number of stops along the way often take this off the table as a legitimate option. I can only imagine that when you are taller, rather than facing this dilemma, you are actually the armpit in question. It must be a completely different experience, I'm quite certain that tall people do not have quite the same dread of crowded spaces that a short person might. But I digress...the point being do tall people appreciate the fact that their feet almost always reach the ground?

I wore ballet flats to work today and was struck by in how many situations my feet truly don't reach the ground comfortably when I am not wearing heels! Now I am not a midget, nor am I even a remarkably short person. At 5'3" I am a mere inch to two inches below the median height for women in the United States, yet when I do not wear high heels my feet often do not reach the ground!

I first noticed this in Tuesday Morning Meeting this morning (a very long and onerous meeting in which we sit still for an inordinate amount of time listening to others speak and not saying anything) when I had to streach my toes out to get them to touch the ground. I spent a solid two hours swinging my feet like a toddler. Now this is a situation that I am supposed to act like a grownup with the ability to sit still yet I cannot impress upon you the discomfort of having your legs swing for extended periods of time. Its sad but true.

I noticed it second today in the Ladies room. Without any kind of shoe heel, my feet don't reach the ground when sitting on the toilet!! We're not talking handicapped stall with an extra tall pottie for ease of transfer for the disabled, we're talking averaged height poop receptical! At this point I got to thinking 1.) this is obscene, I need longer legs damnit! And 2.) I wonder if this is another elevator question - does your experience of certain situations change depending on your ability to place your feet firmly on the ground?

I compounded this with the fact that I'm endlessly not graceful - which mean s that even when I'm walking, my feet probably aren't solidly on the ground then either. (I've been known to spontaniously fall over -- its a sad but pretty entertaining attribute.) I probably only spend a quarter of my day with my feet solidly on the ground...I wonder, am I missing out on so wonderful as to be on par with non-smellyrific elevators?