Someone Else’s Shoes
Our focus this week — Dec 10-16: “Compassion”
Today’s MotD: Someone Else’s Shoes. And yet another way to experience compassion or at least open the door to compassion is to put ourselves in someone else’s shoes—metaphorically speaking. It’s easy for us to judge others from our point of view and from our life experiences—we assume a lot based on what we see on the surface.
But, if we were to dig a little deeper, to get to know the person or learn more about their story and their life experiences, to see their life from their perspective, we’d see them in a whole new light. Rather than just being a plain, black and white “cardboard standee”, we’d see that there’s a whole person there, rich with color and dimension, and with multiple sides.
Long story warning….
Just last night, I had such an experience with someone whom I saw as competition when it comes to auditioning for plays here in town. Whenever I see her, I cringe a little because I know she’s better at this than I am. That whatever it is we’re trying out for, she’s usually selected because she’s really good at her craft…I feel more like a newbie.
Surprisingly someone else had been selected for the part we were both going after. Instead we were both cast as part of the ensemble, which means we’ll play multiple parts. Last night was the first cast meeting. When she sat near me, I leaned over and whispered to her “I really thought you were going to get that main part”. She just looked at me with a sad smile, shrugged, and tilted her head to the side as if to say “I thought so too…oh well”.
I heard she would be directing a play early next year in the next town over. Having forgotten the title, I asked her “so what’s the play you’re directing ?” Again, with a bit of a sad face, she replied “I’m not”. What ?! She didn’t go into any detail but it seemed like there was a falling out between her and whoever else is involved with the play or that theater. I felt bad for her because it seemed to be something painful for her.
A little later while playing an improv-like game, a la “simon says”, it was my turn and I pointed to her and gave her a cue “bow before me” to which she asked me to clarify (it’s part of the game). I said I was looking for someone to be able to curtsy like a princess and wondered if she would be able to do it, which she then beautifully did. I felt guilty afterwards because of how it might have looked…me making her bow before me.
So, later when I had a chance, I apologized to her and hoped I hadn’t offended her. She quickly replied “oh no, that was fine.” A few minutes later opened up to me and said that she was feeling a bit depressed about several things going on for her. That’s when my heart melted and in my mind she went from a cardboard cutout to a real human being. She wasn’t competition. She is potentially a friend. My hope is that as we rehearse together over the next few months, that our connection will become stronger.
…end of long story.
Essentially, rather than assuming something about other people or “typecasting” them with a generic label, we’re encouraged instead to make the effort to look behind the cardboard cutout to see the real person, to truly understand the whole person.
How about you ? Do you catch yourself assuming “stuff” about other people based on appearances ? Rather than assuming, are you open to inquiring more about them to get a better understanding of where they’re coming from ? On the flip side, do you allow yourself to open up to others so that they can see the real you versus the one you “appear” to be ?
BTW…Here’s the before…the front and back view of today’s puzzle piece and the pretty ceramic box that holds all my numbers from which I randomly choose each day’s puzzle piece number:
Peace & Blessings,
Maureen
The Mandala Lady
🔆 transforming soul whispers into mandalas and channeled messages of clarity, peace, and love
ABOUT THE 2025 Mandalas of the Day
Throughout the year, I’ll be building one large (48”x48”) Tibetan-styled Mandala one piece at a time…one puzzle piece at a time, that is. The mandala design and the reversed puzzle side were printed on artist-quality watercolor paper. The forward facing puzzle side was printed on a 48”x48” wood panel.
Each day, at random, I’ll be painting in watercolors one of the 365 watercolor puzzle pieces, that by the end of the year will become Archangel Mandala #4. Read more about the Archangel Series. The word/message for each piece will be inspired by Melody Beattie’s book “52 Weeks of Conscious Contact”.
Ultimately, the message of this mandala is about how we are all uniquely part of the one.
Mandala of the Day 