"You never truly know someone until you've walked a mile in his shoes" - an old adage that reminds us to have empathy for others. Who, or rather what, would have more empathy for our own life experiences than our shoes?

When "Soulpancake" posed this idea to people on the street, the answers varied from literal to metaphorical and secular to spiritual. Races ran, places visited, and life changes are some of the experiences that people's shoes had shared with them.

What about your shoes? What trials and triumphs have you been through that your shoes would be privy to? What amazing things have you accomplished or overcome? How many "miles" have you walked in your shoes?

What would your shoes tell you? Respondents offered ideas like:

• "Keep on truckin."

• "The journey's not over yet, and I've got a lot more ground to cover."

• "Do what you love, and don't settle for anything less."

• "Laugh. And thank God for every day."

Now, it's your turn. What advice do you think your shoes would give you? Perhaps...

• Don't quit.

• Achieve your goals.

• You are stronger than you think.

• Turn your trials into triumphs.

• Take life one step at a time.

• You can turn your life around and get on a better path.

• Walk away from negativity in your life.

Whatever your shoes' advice may be, it's never too late to make your life better or to realize how far you have come in your own journey. You can always find reasons for joy in your journey. While life isn't always easy, we can all handle hard times by accepting trials for our personal growth.