As the moonlight poured through my bedroom window, casting a silver glow on my tear-stained cheeks, I lay in the dark, consumed by the depths of my own thoughts.

The past few months have been tough. Prices for everything are going up, but my account balance isn’t. The economy is in shambles, the climate is changing, and there's so much violence and conflict in the country. It's hard to feel optimistic about the future.

I had just finished my last exam, and I was supposed to be celebrating cause school life was hard. I've worked my ass off for four years.

But instead, I felt lost and uncertain.

I imagined myself as a ship lost at sea, tossed about by the waves of my emotions. My dreams and aspirations were like the distant lighthouses I could see in the distance, but the fog of self-doubt obscured my path.

I closed my eyes, trying to find a semblance of peace in the darkness. But my thoughts were relentless, echoing a haunting refrain:

"What if I don't get what I want out of life?" I whispered to myself.

The question reverberated within me, sending a shockwave of fear through my veins. My mind raced with images of failure, disappointment, and regret. I envisioned myself growing old and weary, unfullled and alone.

 I took a deep breath, trying to calm the storm raging inside of me. But the question persisted, gnawing at my heart like a hungry worm.

"What is the purpose of life anyways?" I asked myself again.

I had no answer. This question had plagued me for as long as I could remember. I had searched for answers in religion, philosophy, and even science, but I had found nothing that could truly satisfy my soul.

Is it to find success and wealth? To build a family and have children? To make a dierence in the world?

“Should I take a job that I don't really want? Should I go for masters? Should I start a business?”

I longed to find my anchor, to plant my roots in a place where I felt truly at home. But the world seemed so vast and ever-changing, and I felt like a tiny speck in the grand scheme of things.

I thought about what my mom said to me.

“Nne, now that you're done with school, I don't want you to think it's too early to get married.

I know you're a smart and ambitious girl, but marriage is important. It's what completes a woman.”

I rolled my eyes and shook my head. I love my mom, and I know she was just trying to be helpful, but her words made me feel even more lost.

“I don't need a man to complete me. I'm perfectly happy on my own.”

 But was I?

“Probably not. But the last thing on my mind now is a man, I just want to focus on my career first before I even think about getting married or whatever.” I tried to convince myself.

I imagined a future where my dreams had come true. I saw myself as a successful writer, my novels published all over the world. I saw myself traveling the globe, experiencing new cultures and meeting new people. I saw myself surrounded by love and laughter, living a life full of joy and fulllment.

Honestly I’m not sure if I can make a living as a writer. I'm starting to feel the pressure to get a "real job" and settle down.

But I know that I don't want to give up on my dreams. I want to live a life that is true to myself, and I believe that’s writing.

My mind drifted back to a conversation I had with my friends a few days ago. We were talking about how life was getting real. We had just graduated from college and were all facing the daunting task of guring out what to do next.

Would we get jobs in our fields? Would we move to new cities? Would we find love?

We all had different dreams and aspirations, but one thing was for sure: we were all a little scared. We were leaving behind the comfort and familiarity of college and entering a new world of uncertainty.

"I can't believe we're actually graduating. It feels like just yesterday we were freshers, moving into our hostels and meeting each other for the first time. Now, we're all grown up and about to go our separate ways."

 I thought about how much I had grown and changed over the past four years. I had learned so much about myself and the world around me. I had made lifelong friendships and created memories that I would cherish forever.

I should be grateful for the good things in my life, my health,my family, and my friends. I should focus on the things that I could control.

I sighed and opened my eyes. I looked out the window at the moonlight streaming in. I took a deep breath and tried to clear my mind.

I knew that I didn't have all the answers but I was sure about one thing.

—That answer was simple: “I was willing to do whatever it took. I was willing to work hard, to sacrifice, to give up everything.”

I got out of bed and walked over to my desk. I picked up a pen and a book and started to write. I didn't know what I was going to write about but I knew I would feel better after writing.

I wrote until my hand was tired and my eyes were getting weak.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, allowing the moonlight to bathe me in its healing light. I released the burden of my doubts and fears, and I embraced the infinite possibilities that lay before me.

~ Luna