Every morning I lace up my shoes,

A simple action that we all do.

Seeing the world through the same pair of eyes,

One perspective, only one way to analyse.

Travelling this world with the same feet,

Day in, day out, rinse and repeat.

Me, myself, and I—

A way of life that is standardized,

Consuming us until the day we die.

So, I stop. Take a breath.

Decide to look at things through a new lens.

"Walk a mile in someone else’s shoes," they say.

How would they think and feel on the day-to-day?

That’s true empathy,

So I made the effort deliberately.

I close my eyes and feel,

Trading my size 5s for a pair that feel more worn,

A bit tight, dusty, and around the edges torn.

These shoes belong to a girl just like me,

My age, 11, with big dreams, who used to be carefree.

She enjoyed reading on the weekends,

And every animal she sees, she befriends.

She loved doughnuts filled with custard,

And hated chips with mustard.

She was ordinary but wonderful,

Full of dreams and brimming with potential.

Until they stormed her house and took everything she knew,

They cared more about the land under her feet

Than the thousands of little hearts that beat,

Longing for their home,

That will never get used to this new normal—all alone.

Living in the shadows,

Days filled with sorrows and aching bones.

Before I know it, tears are streaming down my cheeks,

As I struggle to understand how they could tolerate such grief.

A chill runs down my spine,

As I realize this is what they face every day in Palestine.

Shame fills me as I notice how indifferent we’ve become,

When hearing the devastation, remaining just numb,

Knowing that although our shock has worn off,

Their suffering hasn’t stopped.

In that moment, the weight of empathy hits me,

Softening my heart and opening my eyes to see

How powerful this connection can be,

Lighting the fire of protest to show solidarity.

It is the thread that weaves through humanity,

Intertwining us in all our triumph and pain.

For when we open our hearts to others’ calamity,

We find that we have so much more to gain.

So welcome your hearts to empathy’s gentle touch,

For it is through empathy that we unite,

How the spark ignites,

To work to create a brighter, more compassionate place,

Navigating this world with Iman and grace.

Allah Himself tells us clearly in Surah Al-Imran, verse 103,

Where we are guided:

"And hold firmly to the rope of Allah and do not become divided."