I Looked at My Reflection in the Dark Window and Didn't See a Man at All

Dear Delyara, The main desk lamp flickered and died at 4:00 AM, leaving only the dull, green glow of the laptop screen to light the room. In that weak, sickly light, I looked at my reflection in the dark window pane opposite my desk. I didn't see an educated professional. I didn't see an entrepreneur or a leader. I didn't even see a tired worker. I just saw a grey, blurry smudge—a shape that looked like a ghost that had been trapped inside the glass for fifty years. It hit me with a sickening jolt that if I disappeared from this room right now, the room wouldn't care. The chair would still be warm, the clock would still tick, and the world would keep moving without missing a single beat. I have spent so long wearing a mask and hiding my real thoughts that I feel like the man behind the mask has completely evaporated, leaving nothing behind but a pair of tired eyes staring out at the rain.