Va'e means a foot or leg, and the glyph picture is indeed showing a leg with knee at right and with three toes visible. It is convincing to compare with the leg in the kai glyph type:

1. A leg can symbolize movement or in general 'to be able' (to walk etc). On the other hand, the leg in the glyph type vae is cut off, which could mean the opposite of movement, i.e. no more movement = stop ('disabled').

To which must be added the fact that there are two major kinds of vae glyphs, those which are 'cut off' at the top and those which are 'open' at the top:

If we try to use the cues embedded in the word va'e, we find vaega = center, middle, and vae = to choose. At the bottom of the meaning in va'e presumably lies the fact the we have two legs - which one should we move first?

At the center of the year lies a cardinal point. A solstice represents the stop stage, while an equinox represents the moving stage. The legs of the old Pachamama statue in Bolivia probably represent summer (left leg) and winter (right leg):