My Shoes

This poem is a reminder that no one should judge another person's pain, or think that their pain is so much easier or worse. None of us have walked the EXACT same path as another human being because God did not give us copycat lives. We are each individuals with individual paths. Next time you tell someone, "I know exactly what you are going through," take a moment to think about that statement carefully. Yes we all hurt, but we hurt differently, some deeper, some not so deep, and we all have different responses to those hurts. Be sympathetic and empathetic in your response, but never assume you know exactly what it is like...I reminded myself of this a few times today as I heard the words, "I know," come out of my mouth. Do I know? Do I really know? In future, I will speak with more thought first.

My Shoes

I am wearing a pair of shoes. They are ugly shoes. Uncomfortable shoes. I hate my shoes.

Each day I wear them, and each day I wish I had another pair.

Some days my shoes hurt so bad that I do not think I can take another step. Yet, I continue to wear them.

I get funny looks wearing these shoes. They are looks of sympathy. I can tell in others eyes that they are glad they are my shoes and not theirs. They never talk about my shoes. To learn how awful my shoes are might make them uncomfortable.

To truly understand these shoes you must walk in them. But, once you put them on, you can never take them off.

I now realize that I am not the only one who wears these shoes. There are many pairs in this world.

Some woman are like me and ache daily as they try and walk in them.
Some have learned how to walk in them so they don't hurt quite as much.
Some have worn the shoes so long that days will go by before they think about how much they hurt.
No woman deserves to wear these shoes.

Yet, because of these shoes I am a stronger woman.
These shoes have given me the strength to face anything. They have made me who I am.
 I will forever walk in the shoes of a woman who has lost a child.


- Author Unknown?
(If you know who wrote this, please let me know!)

I have to say  a few things about my shoes. There are days, I have hated my shoes. There are days I have wished that I could be wearing almost any other shoes than my own. There are days that my shoes have hurt so much, I could not walk on my own.


There are many days I have loved my shoes. There are many days I would not trade my shoes for anyone else's. There are days that my shoes hold unspeakable joy and overflowing hope. There are days my shoes make me skip through the day. 


As painful as my shoes have been, I choose to be thankful for it. Why? Because I have lived, held, laughed, cried and most importantly, loved.
God, thank You for my shoes.