The poem highlights the importance of empathy. It tells the story of someone who transforms from being unaware of others’ struggles to experiencing the hardships of a mother, father, child, and elder.
Through this journey, you may learn that real compassion comes from understanding others’ experiences. It reminds us that love connects us, and by recognizing another’s pain, we become more human.

Stepping Into Another’s Shoes

I walked the road, so sure, so light,
With dreams dancing in golden light.
A world of ease, my heart believed,
Never knowing what others grieved.

Then fate, with hands both firm and wise,
Led me through a stranger’s eyes.
I wore their shoes—too tight, too worn,
And felt the weight of feet so torn.

The path was steep, the wind unkind,
Each step is a battle of soul and mind.
Hunger prevailed where laughter lay,
Hope was a whisper that drifted away.

I saw a mother, frail yet bold,
With hands that ached but love untold.
A father bent, his shoulders low,
Carrying burdens he’d never show.

A child whose dreams shone pure and bright,
Who danced in the darkness, seeking light.
An elder left with silent pain,
Who longed to be embraced again.

I walked their path, I felt their cries,
And wiped the tears from weary eyes.
No longer blind, no longer free,
For now, their struggles live in me.

So I take a step beyond my view,
Feel their sorrow, their laughter too.
For hearts may differ, yet pain is the same—
And love is the bridge that whispers my name.
(Vijay Verma)

Categories: kavita

Tags: #creativity, #emotion, #Empathy, #poem, #wellness