Someone Else's Shoes

by Jojo Moyes

a philosophy teacher asking her class, “How many of the decisions you make each day are because you actually want to do something, and how many are to avoid the consequences of not doing it?”

Do men hear this constant inner voice, telling them constantly to strive to be better, to be productive, to be useful?

you cannot change your situation, then you have no choice. You can only change how you think about it.”

“You have self-respect. You have friends. You have satisfaction every day, of a job well done. You have agency over your own life. These are not small things.”

She sees one of the men glance over and turn away. She knows that look: it’s the dismissive look of a man who thinks she’s somewhere she doesn’t really belong, the blank stare that disregards