You may be tempted to attribute such a contemplative quote to one of the usual humanitarian greats (Gandhi? Mother Teresa? Jesus?), but it’s Isaac Hanson who deserves credit for this burst of extreme enlightenment. Yes, the eldest member of Hanson (the band of late-’90s “MMMbop” fame)

The TOMS Shoes company, founded in 2006, is driven by a single mission: To make life more comfortable. Toward that end, TOMS not only ensures that every pair of its namesake slip-ons are soft, breathable, and lightweight for an optimal fit—the company has also charged itself with the responsibility of providing for the comfort of children in impoverished regions worldwide. For every pair of TOMS shoes purchased online or at retail, the company will provide a pair to a child in need.

This philanthropic venture is the brainchild of adventurous entrepreneur Blake Mycoskie, who was a contestant on the second season of “The Amazing Race.” After whetting his wanderlust by journeying around the world for the American reality-TV show, Mycoskie continued his travels in South America, where he met a fellow American organizing a shoe drive for a local poverty-stricken community. It’s also where he first encountered the alpargata, the Argentinean utility shoe that eventually served as the prototype for his business venture. Mycoskie and his partner changed some design elements to make the shoe more comfortable and attractive, attached a humanitarian hook, and introduced TOMS Shoes to the world.

Besides coverage in such publications as Vogue, O Magazine, and Women’s Wear Daily, Mycoskie’s ped passion is now shared through the TOMS Shoes website. The TOMS mission statement is the centerpiece of the homepage: White text juxtaposed on a black bar stretched across the width of the page boldly declares, “For every pair you purchase, TOMS will give a pair to a child in need.” There aren’t extraneous graphic distractions on the site that take away the message of this lofty declaration—the design of the rest of the site is clean and uncluttered, with all the elements set neatly against a cool-blue background. The eye is automatically drawn to the Flash-animated TOMS shoe in the middle of the page—an ideal layout decision, since the shoe itself has, after all, been deemed the appendage commodity that’s destined to change the world one size 9 at a time.

Click on the “My Cause” link, and you’ll be treated to a page that’s designed much like you’d expect a traveler’s field journal to be, complete with a sprawling handwritten Mycoskie missive surrounded by Polaroids of smiling locals sporting his signature shoes. Venture over into the “Buy Online” section and you’ll not only be able to peruse the TOMS merchandise—you’ll also be privy to a shaggy-haired Mycoskie encircled by a gaggle of glowing cherubs (presumably treating their feet to a pair of TOMS) in a South American village.

A call to “Give TOMS this holiday season” invites visitors to consider a TOMS gift certificate for their loved ones (the recipient gets to choose their own style and shoe size, and a child in need will receive his or her own pair of TOMS in return for the giver’s gesture). The related Corporate Gifting link allows companies and their employees to get involved in the exchange on a larger scale, which is one of TOMS’ long-term goals.

“Ideas wither and die without action – get involved” implores the site, and visitors are offered many ways to do just that. The “Style Your Sole” section invites people to throw their own TOMS designing party or community-building event: Stock up on stencils, glitter, and fabric paint, collect money from your guest list, place your order for a bunch of plain white TOMS, and invite your artistically inclined pals (or the whole neighborhood) over for an afternoon of amateur shoe design. Links to recent events (including a video montage of folks hard at work decorating shoes with Sharpies) and a gallery of some of the more original designs are highlights of this section.

For students looking to expand their foray into volunteerism, there’s an application for a Spring 2008 internship, where contenders are promised they will “take part in a truly revolutionary company and redefine the impact of a ‘normal’ workday.” Other ways to join the TOMS cause include signing up as a volunteer on the next shoe drop, submitting a shoe style idea, or carrying the TOMS line (if you happen to have a retail store to your name).

There are some startup snags. Maybe we’re just cranky because our shoes are too tight, but it’s a little off-putting that an organization that’s all about sharing and caring is so tight-lipped about Mycoskie (the bio section on the site simply says it’s “available on request”). And for a company with such a far-reaching mission to provide foot frills to disadvantaged kids around the world, there are only five countries (United States, Canada, Italy, Japan, and Korea) in the site’s Store Locator that currently sell the shoes at retail. That’s not particularly unusual, considering the company’s barely two years old (it does take time to place merchandise on store shelves, especially on a global level). But it would placate the impatient global consumer if online orders could be shipped outside of the United States.

To be fair, however, the company has stated that it’s working on these issues to transform TOMS into the global do-gooder Blake Mycoskie and his team believes it’s meant to be. One guesses that to change the world where the rubber meets the road, it still takes one step at a time.