In the previous part, I began writing a story I imagined one night while gazing at the stars. This short story is about the power of understanding—how different everything could be if we were less judgmental and more compassionate toward each other. I hope you enjoy it!
He started seeing flashing images passing quickly before his eyes like a movie. As the scenes unfolded, he began to recognize the boy in the photos—his life unfolding in brief glimpses. With each image, the boy grew older, and suddenly, the man realized who it was: his neighbor, a shy, quiet young man of about 20. He had always judged and criticized this boy for being different, referring to him as the “depressed boy” because he was lonely and never smiled. The images continued until they finally stopped.
The man sat motionless for nearly 15 minutes, and then, without warning, he burst into tears. The shoes he had tried on had shown him the boy’s life and made him feel the emotions that accompanied each moment. He now understood why the boy was the way he was. This young man had endured immense hardship in his short life and was now taking care of his sick, alcoholic mother after his father had abandoned them at birth. The man realized that his neighbor, whom he had judged so harshly, deserved his respect.
He then tried on the second pair of shoes and later the third. Both pairs fit him perfectly. As with the first, the images and emotions came flooding in. The second pair belonged to his boss’s secretary, someone he had often criticized for her appearance, reserved demeanor, and quietness—he had mockingly called her a “nun.” But the shoes revealed her painful past: she had suffered abuse from her father as a child and had been afraid of men ever since.
The third pair of shoes belonged to his father, a man he had always criticized for being cold and distant. They had never been close, and they hadn’t spoken in recent years. The man had judged his father harshly for not being loving or supportive, but the images that unfolded shattered his heart. He saw how his father had grown up in a strict, abusive household as the only son among four daughters. His grandfather had been especially hard on him, insisting that he “become a man” and care for his sisters. His father had endured unimaginable hardship but had always done his best to care for his family, including the man himself. Suddenly, the man felt ashamed of how he had treated his father. Beneath the cold exterior was a man who had done the best he could.
Overwhelmed with emotion, the man again searched for a way out of the shop, but the door was still locked. Tired and hopeless, he returned to the back of the store and realized there was one last pair of shoes he hadn’t tried. Already devastated by what he had seen, he was hesitant to put them on, afraid of what he might discover. But his curiosity won out.
As soon as he slipped on the final pair of shoes, the images began to flash before his eyes. This time, he immediately recognized the person in them—it was himself. He saw his life unfold in the same way he had seen the lives of others. He saw the person he had become: selfish, judgmental, and constantly criticizing others without truly knowing them. He couldn’t bear to watch. “Who have I become?” he sobbed, tears streaming down his face. The images continued, and he was filled with shame and self-loathing. “Please, God, I no longer want to be this person. I can be better. I can change,” he cried out.
Suddenly, the images stopped. He took off the shoes, and the lights in the shop came on. When he went to the front door, it was open. He stepped outside and found himself lying in his bed—it had all been a dream. But it was a dream that felt real, a dream that had changed him. He had been given the chance to see himself through the eyes of others, and in doing so, he had been reborn. His life would never be the same again.
“Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.” – John Watson
With this story that came to me one quiet night, I realized how differently we see people when we truly know their stories. Once we understand what they’ve been through, once we feel what they’ve felt, everything changes. But do we need to go through such an experience to be more understanding and compassionate? The answer is no. We just need to remember that everyone is fighting their own battle. We must strive to be more empathetic and less judgmental.
Criticizing others doesn’t change them, nor does it change our lives. What we need are fewer critics and more people who strive to become the best version of themselves so they can help others do the same. Together, we can make this world a better place, and it all starts with us—the person we choose to be every single day.
So the next time you feel the urge to criticize or judge someone, try to put yourself in their shoes first. Seek to understand others as you would want them to understand you. Understanding is the key to a better world. Will you help create it?