The Surprising Way My Castmates Reacted When My Teacher Disclosed My Chronic Illness

It was the day my worst nightmare became my reality — and it was all thanks to an anger-filled teacher’s slip of the tongue.

The whole cast of the musical revue — in which I was the only freshman girl — knew about my illness after this happened. The same chronic illness I’d spent a lifetime trying to hide.

I outright quit the musical revue, and in a mix of shock and horror, I began the painful walk home. I’m glad I had my ever-loyal childhood best friend walking right by my side.

With each step, I opened a new floodgate of tears.

I thought my life was over. I thought the cast of the musical revue would never look at me the same, the secret I had tried so hard to hide would spread around the school like a virus, and I would never be the Megan I was before everyone knew about my illness.

But do you know what happened?

I got a phone call from an unknown number. When I answered the phone, the whole cast sang a song by P!nk:

“Pretty, pretty please, don’t you ever, ever feel/Like you’re less than perfect/Pretty, pretty please, if you ever, ever feel like you’re nothing/You’re perfect to me…”

I then heard screams of “We love you, Megan” shouted by countless people crammed into a tiny car.

I could barely get out the words “thank you” because a river of tears started flowing through my eyes. My first smile of the night crept across my lips.

As I hung up the phone, I just grabbed onto my childhood best friend and bawled — for an entirely new reason.

The day I thought my life was over — the day my teacher shared my illness without my permission — I was met with love.

There may be multiple times in our lives when we feel hopeless — like the pain will never end. It may feel like your world is ending — like maybe life isn’t even worth living. I know how it feels because it happened to me.

On those dark days, though, you could find that you’ll be met with love.

Even when you expect the worst is going to happen, the light can still shine through. When you think your life has ended, and your world has shattered beyond repair, people might remind you that you are loved and you are perfect.

If you are facing your darkest night, and if you feel like the pain may not be worth your time, remember that the good may come. If you feel like the sorrow will never end, remember that the love may come. You just have to stick around long enough to see it.