The Step

A Poem by Melinda

I believe
The secret of meaning
Is in the step from sympathy
To empathy.
Meaning is more
Than simply observing-
It is not tearing wide open
The 'something'
Or
The 'someone'
To view the insides,
And place found symbols
In neatly labeled boxes.
It is allowing yourself
To become
A hand, slipped into
A strangers glove-
Not merely touching
But experiencing touch,
Feeling no fear
But knowing the warmth
And safety
Of remaining yourself.
Feeling becomes meaning
When one embraces
That they can never
Fully understand
The 'something'
Or
The 'someone'
Beyond what they know
About themselves.