Gemotions

The email arrived like a punch to the gut. "Congratulations! Your essay has been selected…” A wave of nausea swept over Daniel. He’d poured his heart out in that essay. It detailed his experiences as a volunteer at a homeless shelter, describing the faces, the voices, the desperation. Now, it was being used to inspire others.

A lump formed in his throat. He understood the pressure, the yearning to contribute, to alleviate suffering. He knew the fears of judgment and the vulnerability it took to share one's story. He could easily imagine the faces of the students who would be reading the same words that had opened doors for him. He wished, with all his being, that they could know how real those stories were, and how much they mattered.