They say, in order to know a man, you have to walk a mile in his shoes.
I guess we can never say we fully know someone inside out until we, figuratively, walk a mile in their shoes.
Sure, we may claim to know people close to us very well; but define "very well". Is it knowing their personality; their loves and hates; their past, secrets, fears, hopes and dreams; the way they think and feel; and how they see the world? That's all but one small part of knowing someone like the back of your hand.
Unless we go through what they have experienced, feel what they have felt and do what they have done, we can never say we truly know them.
The most we can do is empathise with them, and imagine what it must've been like to walk in their shoes. But it'll never replace the real thing, experiencing it all in the flesh, right then and there, and living in the moments that forever defined them.
Perhaps the real selves of us will forever remain an enigmatic mystery to all but those who've shared our experiences. Sort of like an in-group with an exclusive membership. And one that's not necessarily desirable either. But we are the sum of everything life has thrown at us, and we should be ready for whatever comes next.
But one thing I'm sure of is this: we'll never walk alone.
