Thank you for sharing this powerful story with us. Could you tell us about what inspired you to write it?

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I chose this topic because this is something that has happened to me in my life and I know that it happens to other people too. Someone proposed to me that he loves me and I didn’t feel the same. He showed me money so that I would have lust for it and agree to have a romantic relationship with him.

 

Through that experience, I decided to write this story to advise people, especially young men and women, that lust shouldn’t guide you to do something that you don’t like or to do something that doesn’t come from the bottom of your heart. Whenever you do something because of lust, not because you like it, know that there is a negative consequence. I hope people will benefit from hearing this story.

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What messages do you hope your readers will take away from your story? 

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I hope my readers will learn how to say no to things they don’t want, resist bad influences and make choices that are good for them so they won’t regret their decisions later in life. 

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What, from your perspective, is the point of storytelling? Why do we tell stories, what do they do for us, and what purpose do they serve?

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Storytelling helps us to share, connect and learn from each other over experiences, ideas and events through spoken word or written text. Stories also inspire, teach, heal and bring people together, making our experiences more meaningful and relatable. Storytelling helps connect with others and feel less alone.

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Did your story change over the course of your participation in the storytelling workshops? How?

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Over the workshops, my story changed a lot. At first it was a basic and emotional account of what happened. But through the workshops I learned to add more details that made my story more interesting. I learned to tell my story more clearly and to describe things so that the reader could picture them. I became more confident in sharing my personal story. I’m proud of how my story turned out.

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How does your story offer an alternative path, point of view, or way forward? How does it speak to the possibility of an otherwise?

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My story shares a powerful lesson that saying no to what is wrong can mean saying yes to a brighter future. It shows that you don’t have to give in to temptation or pressure, even when money is involved. Most importantly, it highlights that love shouldn’t be tied to money, and that making choices that align with your values is crucial. My hope is that readers will be inspired to think carefully about the choices they make.