walk In My Shoes

by
Jacklynn MacKenzie
Before you condemn or pass judgement upon someone, think very seriously. Why do people drink alcohol, take drugs, gamble or steal? Tough questions? Yes, but there are no easy answers. Why do people do what they do? Why? Why? Why? Well, I suppose if we could walk in that other persons shoes for awhile, for all the years they walked in them, or even for one short day, then maybe we could understand their shortcomings, their problems, and the things they do to escape their problems.

Maybe if we could experience very heartbreak and disappointment, every failure, every chastisement they experienced; if we cried every night we went to bed, like they have; then just maybe, we could begin to comprehend their lives and their behaviour. If we hurt so deeply and profoundly, if we felt we had no hope, no dreams, no future, no place of refuge to go, how would we feel? Would we be so quick to judge them? I think not. Then, after walking in their shoes for however long it may be, we may understand them. Then we might help, encourage, care about them enough to have them face up to their problems.

Today there are so many hurting people in the world who need other people to give them a helping hand, an encouraging word, some good solid advice, and especially to give them a shoulder to lean on or cry on, or just someone to listen quietly to them.

People just don't seem to care anymore about other people.
Everyone is so busy in their own little world, they don't have the time or patience to bother with other peoples' problems. We need to learn to care about others, as we care about ourselves. Sometimes we need to make their problems our problems. If we started today to accept people as they are, rather than criticizing them, if we reached out a helping hand to just one person in some small, meaningful way, just for today to show them the way to go so they would be able to help themselves overcome their problems, What a difference we could make. Just think of the miracle that could happen if everyone in our community, or in fact everyone all over the world, reached out and touched one lost soul: just think of the people who could be helped to have a richer, fuller more vibrant and meaningful life. All it takes is one person - YOU.

The best portion of a good man's life is his little, nameless, unremembered acts of kindness and love. William Wordsworth.
Love is a little word - People make it big. Author unknown.
Involvement with people in their needs and frustrations is an expression of love gettings its' hands dirty. L.J.Oglivie