32 unread messages. Shehan put down the phone, frustrated. How would Shehan get through the next few days? Looking for answers, or distractions, shehan picked up the phone and started watching videos. One video caught Shehan’s eye remarkable individual, talking about something religious or spiritual. Shehan couldn’t quite make it out, but Shehan was interested and found something impressive maybe admirable about the person so Shehan continued watching and really it was blessing in disguise because Shehan was in a deep emotional damage due to his relationship failure.
“ Two years… and it all ends like this?” Shehan started at the ceiling. He had been in an intense relationship with his girlfriend, Anaya, for two years. He had loved her deeply. He had imagined a future with her, simple things, ordinary days, growing altogether. In his mind, the future was already built. Then came that phone call, “please don’t talk to me.” those words were enough to make his heart sink. Anaya had decided to draw the line under their relationship. Shehan listened, but nothing seemed to make sense. Then he raised his voice saying, “ after everything?”. He could not understand how someone who had once been so close could suddenly become a stranger. those words were like a thunderbolt to Shehan in one moment, the future he had imagine, disappeared. All those dreams, plans, and little promises came crashing down. “So… was it all a lie?” that question kept returning.
While watching the video the question remained Shehan began to question love itself. “ what is love, anyway?” he answered himself, “ if you can love someone today and leave them tomorrow, what is the point?” Slowly, his pain turned into anger. He started complaining, “ love is a joke”, “love is a deceiver.” he convinced himself that love was nothing more than a beautiful promise that eventually ended in pain.
And religion? That was something else he had already left behind.
“ Religion? Spirituality? Come on man what does that have to do with my life?” Shehan said to himself. Like many youngsters of his generation, Shehan believed that religion had no relevance to Gen Z. Religious rituals, beliefs, and teachings seemed like things from another world to Shehan.
While simply glancing upon that accidental video, which was kept on watching for a few seconds Shehan questioned, “ who is this guy?” it was a Catholic priest, giving a sermon about love based on Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, the famous and profound “Love Chapter.” Shehan almost try to scroll it, but something made him to stay.
The priest was talking about love, not the love Shehan had just lost, but something deeper. The priest said, “ love is more than a feeling.” Shehan paused the video because those simple words was like an electric shock for him. Shehan said to himself, “more than a feeling?”. The video continued to play and priest spoke about the sacrificial, love of Christ and explained agape, self giving love that seeks the good of another and Shehan kept on listening.
For the first time, he began to see love differently. He thought that love isn’t just how he felt, but it is all about what he is willing to give. he began to understand that eros, romantic attraction, and emotional desire was not the whole story. He felt, love could be patient, love could forgive, love could sacrifice and love could give without expecting something in return. something within himself began to soften.
Then came another thought to his mind, “ if nobody loves me… then why am I still here?” suddenly, certain faces began appearing in his imagination and finally, his mother. All the memories with her started gushing to Shehan’s imagination. He whispered with heavy eyes, “amma”, the term used to address mother in Sinhalese. that realization became a true turning point in his life. shehan began to understand that love itself was not meaningless but his understanding was incomplete.
Shehan kept the phone aside with a change within.
This story was submitted as part of the King’s Study Phase of the Gen Z Role Models Project. Added October 2026.
“because Shehan was in a deep emotional damage” (S221) © 2026 by The Gen Z Role Models Project is licensed under CC BY 4.0
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