Have you walked a mile in another’s shoes? Have you felt the road beneath their feet as
they did so? Did you see the view from
the same perspective? The answer is
always no. There are as many experiences
as there are individuals and thus the same number of perspectives.
It is easy to categorize, easy to form
beliefs, but always these will be based upon your own background, experiences,
and perspectives. Yes, it is helpful to
put yourself in the other’s shoes to gain their perspective, but even then it
is not the same. It is closer to their
“truth,” but not the same.
What can you infer from this?
That you can never truly know another’s pain or sadness, joy or relief
until you truly enter into that state of pure oneness. You are not there yet if you find yourself in
judgement of others’ experiences and actions.
If it is important for you to feel that oneness, then you have taken a
giant step forward into wearing that others’ shoes. In the meantime, just the mere desire to do
so allows in greater compassion and empathy.
Good on you.
