"Walking in someone else's shoes"
The saying we have heard, what does it really mean?
It maybe something we say,
In conversation.
It may be rather difficult to feel,
Truly walking in someone's shoes,
Unless we ourselves
Have walked those shoes.
I pondered this question,
Is it hard to feel? Can I close my eyes, and imagine their experience,
Is happening to me.
Will that help me feel,
Walking their shoes?
Can I imagine myself, In their world? Be the person, and feel their experience,
As if it were me?
Is this more than compassion?
Is this more than empathy?
Is this about truly trying,
To feel the literal version,
Of walking someone's shoes?
When there is a loss
Of someone once loved,
Can we really feel their feelings?
Or are we sharing the emotion of grief?
When there are tough times
Life's challenges in varied forms,
Can we really feel their feelings?
Or are we sharing the emotion of - "This too shall pass"?
When there's celebrations
Of Life's milestones, big or small,
Can we feel their joy?
Or are we sharing the emotion of – milestones reached, successes achieved?
So can we truly walk in someone's shoes?
Or is it that we can feel?
A feeling of joy
A feeling of empathy
A feeling of sympathy
A feeling of grief
A feeling of sorrow
A feeling of despair
A feeling of hope
A feeling of love
A feeling of joy
And so much more?
I am not sure,
After months of pondering,
Whether we can truly walk
In someone's shoes ?
It is not because
We don't know how...
We can try,
By being there to listen,
Imagine this was us,
Take a moment to feel it.
A moment in silence.
How would we want,
The person across from us,
To treat us,
If that were us,
Experiencing something
Even remotely similarly.
Can we be that person for them?
In this moment, now
Walk in their shoes.
Started: Sunday, 1 February 2026
Finished: Sunday, 9 August 2026
Linda T Thorpe
The inspiration for this poem:
The poem inspiration came to me, when I was talking to a friend who lives overseas. We don’t talk often, though when we speak, I try and understand her point of view and she me. We live very different lives, though we both left India for a different life. One day, I did say to this friend, I need to ponder on whether someone can really walk in someone’s shoes. This is my answer now, and I continue to ponder it as scenarios come up.
