I didn't take or see any selfishness in your comment. You can certainly empathize with someone and feel for them without having been in their shoes. That is t

I didn't take or see any selfishness in your comment. You can certainly empathize with someone and feel for them without having been in their shoes. That is the whole point of good writing (which you experienced). It is supposed to do that, to transport you there. You felt the author's lived experience and their is nothing wrong with that. It is supposed to expand your life experience and make you think.