A Shadow's Path Poem by Sumita Jetley

Amara moved through day by day,
A cog in wheels that spun away.
Her work was sharp, her ideas clear,
Yet felt unseen, unknown, unclear.

Then on her desk, a ticket lay,
A call to rise—or fade away.
She took a seat among the crowd,
Feeling small but inwardly proud.

The speaker's voice, both soft and bold,
Told truths that cut through heart and soul.
"There was a time, " she dared confess,
"I felt unseen, I felt like less."

Her story turned on burnout's edge,
A time of pain, a whispered pledge:
To find intention, claim her way,
Not let the grind steal all her days.

Amara's chest, a tightened hold,
She saw her future, harsh and cold.
Could this be me? she thought in fear—
Her path, her purpose, less than clear.

Next day she walked in, fierce and strong,
Determined now to prove them wrong.
Her cubicle, a simple space,
Yet something new had changed her face.

She voiced her thoughts, she shared her view,
She shaped each task like something new.
Months passed, and soon her work was seen,
Her voice had broken through routine.

One day, a message caught her eye—
From Liana, who had reached the sky.
"Intentionality saves lives,
And careers, too—it helps them thrive."

Years later now, Amara stands,
Before young minds, with open hands.
"I thought hard work would be enough,
But purpose makes the strongest stuff."

She sees a face, wide-eyed and bright,
A spark ignites within their sight.
She knows that look, that silent plea:
"This changes everything for me."