To walk a mile in another’s shoes is indeed a valuable pursuit, as it no doubt tells us much about the other – but it tells us far more about ourselves. For, to wear the shoes of another properly, we must first remove our own, a task which few of us ever truly accomplish.

Our shoes are so comfortable, so familiar, so well-insulated, we scarcely notice they are there at all, and when we go to try on another pair, we often make the mistake of trying them on over our own. This is, of course, quite awkward and shows us almost nothing of what the shoes would feel like on our bare feet. It is little wonder, then, that we come away from such experiences even more assured that the way we have been walking all these years is just fine – even, quite probably, the best way to walk.

In the end, we might all benefit most not from trying on each other’s shoes, but from spending just a little more time barefoot.