"Pair of Shoes"

I am wearing a pair of shoes
They are ugly shoes, uncomfortable shoes
I hate my shoes
Each day I wear them, each day I wish I had a different pair
Some days my shoes hurt so bad I don't think I can take another step
Yes, I continue to wear them
I get funny looks when I wear my shoes. They are looks of sympathy
I can tell in others eyes they are glad these are my shoes and not theirs
They never talk about my shoes
To learn how awful my shoes are might make them uncomfortable
To truly understand these shoes you must walk in them
But once you put them on, you can never take them off
I now realize I am not the only one that wears these shoes
There are many pairs in this world
Some women are like me and ache daily wearing them
Some women have learned to walk in them so they don't hurt so much
Some women have worn the shoes so long that days can go by before they think about how much they hurt
No woman deserves to wear these shoes
Yet, because of these shoes I am a stronger woman
These shoes have given me the strength to face anything
They have made me who I am
I will forever walk in the shoes of a woman who has lost a child

-Author unknown