Tuesday, September 02, 2008

In My Shoes

Black with a buckle, a dull leather shine
Comfortable tread, these shoes that are mine
Soles worn at the heels, rubbed out at the toes
With me so long, wherever I go

They click as I walk, running, they slide
In bad moods they carry me in good ones they glide
Black with a buckle, pair that I choose
Wear them a while, do a mile in my shoes.

They know my imprint, recognize my shape
Arch lends support on those days not so great
Instep just right, room still to grow
Step after step, with me they go.

Walking the pebbles, the dirt, and the path
Molding to me faithfully, whatever I ask
I shine and polish to keep them like new,
For only they know what it is I go through.

Do you know how it feels, size six and a half?
To be in my shoes when I cry and I laugh?
Each scuff on the toe, the story of all
Every time I trip, each time that I fall

The mileage on this pair has taken me far
Only your shoes can take you where you are.
But if you really want to know me, take a little time
Take off your worn loafers, and walk a mile in mine.

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

I guess that's why they say that shoes are a woman's best friend... When I came back from Israel last week I had to throw out a pair of shoes that I have literally worn for the past four years. These shoes have been with me through so much! Four years! They have literally watched me grow up and all. Thanks for the poem.

Jewish Side of Babysitter said...

That was great!

Freeda said...

a nice twist on an old saying

Anonymous said...

I'm mising you...

Zeeskeit said...

Cute poem....

About this topic...

Throughout this blog you write alot about how you wish more people knew what it was like on your end and about knowing when your "chessed" is needed and when to back off. I find that this is important even not in regard to cancer patients. People must remember that they will NEVER be able to FULLY understand another person. Even when it seems that your set of circumstances are EXACTLY the same as another persons, remember they are NOT. You don't have the same mother/father/husband/children etc. You don't have the same emotional build. You are NOT the same and you will NEVER be able to REALLY walk even an inch in their shoes. Here are two examples that really got me!

I got married before many of my friends and had my first and second children before my friends got to those stages. I remember a conversation that bothered me. The converstion took place a day after a classmates wedding, with another classmate who had recently gotten married. She was telling me that it used to annoy her when the married girls in the class would leave weddings early, and excuse themselves by saying that their husbands were waiting at home. She tried not to judge them since she wasn't married and didn't know what that was like. But now, she went on, she has a husband and could not understand it. It's one night that you need to stay late, and nothing will happen if your husband is home before you, and it's so disgusting, blah blah blah... I tried to explain to her that not all husbands are like hers. Although now she felt that she was in the same situation as those other married girls, she really was not because the circumstances were different, and the husbands were different with different personalities. But it was like talking to a brick wall!

The other example is not specific, but a constant nagging reminder. As I mentioned, I got married before many of my friends. Sometimes my friends would ask me to come somewhere or do something for them. When I'd tell them that I can't and try to explain, I'd get comments like: "Why? Cause you have a husband?" or "Now that you're married you can't do anything anymore?" Then came the baby B"H and they invited me to wedding showers for friends which I really couldn't make it to. But, I was pressured to come cuz "it's the best time for everyone else" or "Whaddaya mean you won't come? She'll be soooo upset if you're not there" Then they got married and had babies and I'm up to #2. It's gotten much better, but it's still frusturating. and if you TRY to explain the situation they think you're exaggerating or can't cope.

So although the saying goes, "Don't judge another until you've walked a mile in their shoes", remember that walking in their shoes for one mile will not show you the sights they've seen or the struggles they've been through or the relationships they've developed over the past ten miles....

Anonymous said...

so true! both what the poem says, and zeeskeit-no one can ever really walk in someone else's shoes...

but zeeskeit, just wanted to point out that you haven't really walked in the shoes of many of your single friends either...

Anonymous said...

nuuuu waiting for a new post

Anonymous said...

A GUT GEBENTCHED YEAR