32 unread messages. Akash put down the phone, frustrated. How would he get through the next few days? Looking for answers, or distraction, Akash picked up the phone and started watching videos. One video caught Akash’s eye. A remarkable individual, talking about something religious or spiritual. Akash couldn’t quite make it out, but was interested and found something impressive, maybe admirable, about the person. So, Akash continued watching and…
Akash stared at the glowing screen as the video continued to play, the noise of the outside world slowly fading away. The speaker on the screen—a calm person with a peaceful look—was talking about how to find inner peace in a busy world. The words felt like they were spoken directly to the heavy worry in Akash’s chest.
Curious, Akash clicked on the creator’s profile and found many more videos about philosophy and peaceful living. Hours passed without Akash even noticing. The 32 unread messages on the phone grew to 50, then 80, but the panic that had frozen Akash earlier started to melt away. Instead of feeling trapped by stress, a strange sense of clarity took over.
By morning, the simple need for a distraction had turned into a real search for answers. Akash closed the video app, opened a blank notebook, and wrote down one favorite sentence from the video: “Silence is not the absence of sound, but the presence of self.”
Taking a deep, calm breath, Akash finally picked up the phone again—not to worry about the long list of messages, but to delete the apps that caused stress and keep only what helped. The next few days would still be busy, but the heavy cloud of hopelessness was gone. With a fresh and positive outlook, Akash stepped away from the screen, ready to face life with quiet strength.
This story was submitted as part of the King’s Study Phase of the Gen Z Role Models Project. Added October 2026.
“Akash stared at the glowing screen” (S231) © 2026 by The Gen Z Role Models Project is licensed under CC BY 4.0
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