“The Talk” by Dale Innis on Midjourney
Please Press Play to Hear me recite it to a beautiful song by Ilham Al Madfai
“I cried because I had no shoes …..
It was 1958….
at eleven years old I was sure I was the only one to lose my father.
Everywhere I looked, all my friends had two parents, but I had one.
The grief was profound, mixed with much unwarranted guilt
that somehow I had killed him, I fell into a deep depression .
On Thanksgiving, the teacher was saying how we ALL
had so much to be thankful for..
She began giving examples … our lives, our health, and our parents…
When she said “our parents” I felt a bayonet had spilt my chest wide open
I got up from class and I started running, and I ran all 6 miles home .
I didn’t pray much in those days, I felt God had abandoned me.
I felt somehow chosen to be the one to suffer, and I cried out “Why me?”
In this state I met a new girl who had come to our school, at the end of the year.
She was quiet and withdrawn and knew no one.
She had that disadvantage of trying to fit into a classroom full of strangers
Something about her, drew me to talk and I welcomed her to our class .
I sensed in her a sadness, that went beyond shyness and I was drawn to her.
We became friends and my friends became hers.
Very soon after we found ourselves at a pajama party one Saturday night.
While the other girls were looking at magazines we started to talk about ourselves.
I told her, my father had died a few months before, and I could not seem to get over it.
She told me she too was suffering a loss and that even though her aunt & uncle
had cautioned her to never utter a word, she felt she wanted to talk about it..
We were two preteen girls opening our hearts one night to share our grief.
She told me, one Friday night, a few weeks before, while she was at the movies,
her troubled older sister, took a gun and shot and killed her mother and father.
In an instant, she lost her whole family, her home , her school, her sister taken away…
She came to live with her aunt and uncle, in a new city, at a new school and hopefully
just put that all behind her. The next year they all moved to a new state and a new town
and I never saw her again.
I have thought about her so much over the years, I have thought about this expression,
“I cried because I had no shoes …..until I met a man who had no feet.”
About 2 months ago, I set out to find her. I wanted to know if she were still alive,
if she remembered me I wanted to ask her one question and I wanted to say thank you.
After much searching, and the fact she had not changed her name, I found her.
She was in the US and I left a message on her machine.
When we connected again by phone, 66 years later, my question was,
“Have you had a good life?”
She answered me “Yes, I have had a good life.” I told her I had had a good one too.
We started off with trauma and loss and yet we had turned it all around, so that both
of us, in our own ways had set out on paths to the rest of our lives, and they were good ones.
I thanked her for that night in 5th grade, huddled on our beds, sharing our grief, and our tears.
It taught me a great lesson and also brought out my compassion and my gratefulness
She brought me a pair of shoes, even when she had no feet. How could I ever forget that?
Karima Hoisan
Sept. 26, 2024
Costa Rica
* Footnote, This is a true story and I have just recently reconnected with her. She remembered me immediately:) We have written a few emails and I do believe, it has been a beautiful experience for both of us:)
The expression: “I cried because I had no shoes …..until I met a man who had no feet.”
These words are generally attributed to Helen Keller. However, others identify William Shakespeare and Mahatma Gandhi as the first to coin this phrase.
Digital Rabbit Hole 
what a beautiful & healing sharing you bring to us, soulkin! 💞❤️💞🌞🦋🌞 that is a wonderful story which added good vibes to my day🌴🌞🌴🌴 thanks for the endorphins🥰🥳
LikeLiked by 2 people
Ahhh thank you my dear soulkin. I just sent this post to her too..I said it took me about 66 years to find the words and was long overdue:)
I am glad you feel the lightness that I am feeling now. My muse once again obsessing about locating her….was actually on the right track:) I am so happy I found her 🤗🌹❤️
LikeLiked by 2 people
What an amazing and touching story! Both the original connection, and the re-connection 66 years later. The two of you definitely touched each other in a long-lasting way. Thanks for sharing this story with us, in such a poetic (and beautifully read) way.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Thank you Dale and for the “reenactment” picture on Midjourney. It sort of tied everything all together. Yes, it’s very touching, because it’s true and we were both 11 grappling with loss. I never forgot her and she recognized me immediately when we finally talked again, 66 years later. Thank you so much for being so much a part, in finding her too. I’m glad you enjoyed the recording 🙏
LikeLiked by 2 people
Una historia conmovedora de dos chicas adolescentes que las unió la desgracia. Tuvieron que madurar antes de tiempo y de cierta manera, la vida le devolvió con creces su felicidad. Buenas noches Karima.
Como siempre, el vídeo con tu voz, es genial. Me encantó escucharte. Así, mi insomnio tocará el amanecer con el arrullo de tu voz. Voy a pensar que un ángel me canta un canción.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Qué lindas palabras Manuel!! Me encanta a pensar que mi voz pueda llevarte a dormir y soñar, como si estuviera un ángel suspirandob en tu oído:) Fué así..tuvimos que madurar y enfrentar cosas demasiado temprano y este hecho nos obligó de madurarnos al golpe. Gracias a Díos, el fin de nuestro cuenta y mi felíz..66 años después. Es un milagro que podiamos encontrarnos de nuevo, en esta tapa de la vida. Muchas gracias por tus palabras tan empáticas y muy ciertas. 🌹🙏🤗
LikeLiked by 1 person
Cuanto me alegro que haya pasado de esta manera. Tu voz es especial para mí porque a través de ella, mi conciencia te visualiza cuando quiero recrear mi inspiración. Y Dios sabe lo que se puede sentir. Un beso por regalarme esa flor querida Karima.
LikeLiked by 2 people
An amazing story, Karima. Bravo.
LikeLiked by 3 people
Thank you so much for listening and commenting. I appreciate it!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Awww Manuel, tu eres un verdadero encantador y un gran amigo que siempre me da apoyo e inspiración:) Un abrazo entre poetas romanticos:) 🤗
LikeLiked by 1 person
This is beautiful and moving Karima. Only when we encounter grief or misfortune greater than ours that we can come to terms with our fate. I’m so glad that you reconnected with her again
LikeLiked by 2 people
A very touching story, Karima, and so relatable to me. My father expired when I was 12. But then, I agree, there are many people who are behind us. Thanks for sharing it.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you so much Kaushal for sharing your story a bit too. 12, 11, we are just too young to understand death and the loss of a parent. I really appreciate your listening and leaving me this comment…I’m sorry you went through this too, but Alhamdulillah..here we are:):)
LikeLiked by 2 people
You’re welcome, Karima! What I think is that hardships make us humble.:)
LikeLiked by 2 people
Beautiful 💗
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you so much for leaving your comment, curious:)
LikeLiked by 1 person
Lovely story, Karima!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you for reading it Dawn:)
LikeLiked by 2 people
A touching story.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you Pooja for reading it..🙏
LikeLiked by 2 people
My pleasure 😊
LikeLiked by 2 people
😢very touching! Life is a mysterious journey and suffering lead to the virtues of strengths or weaknesses. I loved and enjoyed your heart-wrenching journey that resulted in a big win of wisdom.❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
LikeLiked by 3 people
Thank you so much for listening Aoc:) I loved your comment and your words were very beautiful for me,
” your heart-wrenching journey that resulted in a big win of wisdom.”
Life does work in strange, twists and ways and looking back on mine,(seems a good time to do that) This was an indellible night and yes, at 11 I was shown such a selfless love from a girl, I barely knew, whose grief made mine seem more bearable. ❤️🌹❤️🌹🤗
LikeLiked by 1 person
what a powerful connection and good for you to seek her out … glad you both became victors!
Grief will visit us all but how we deal with that strengthens our character 🙂
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you so much Kate..it was such a blessing to find her again…and as I knew it would be , she too remembered that conversation at a pajama party 66 years before. Oh and what you say at the end is so true too. I had a friend who used to introduce me to someone he thought I would like, he would say, “Please meet so & so, she/he has suffered a lot. Now she has compassion.”
LikeLiked by 2 people
You are a amazing storyteller my dear friend. I enjoy hearing you read dear Karima.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Thank you so much John,,,I told this one with all the feeling I can stay feel about that night…and the lesson I learned too.
LikeLiked by 1 person