Sondering in the City: The Meaning of Sonder

I watch as passersby go from place to place,

I watch as some check their watches.

I watch as some look ahead in their little world,

And I watch as some chat amongst their passing group.

I look at each passerby,

Each is so different,

So busy getting to another place,

Each forgets to enjoy the things around them.

Then it hits me and I realize.

Each has a life separate from mine,

A vivid life,

A complex life,

Just like mine, yet different.

My head hurts,

It’s too much,

He could be a single father stuck in a job he hates.

She could be regretting her mistakes and can’t handle the guilt.

Why have I never cared?

He could be dying, and she doesn’t know.

Those friends could be talking for the last time before they move on with their lives.

I feel deep sonder for those thinking like me.

© Maia Vashti

First published in Never Stop Writing on Medium.