My photo
There’s something terrifying about being seen- not just looked at, but truly seen.
Stripped of explanations. Bare. Exposed.
I remember when I was offered admission to study English Education at the University of Uyo. I had a pass in Mathematics, not the required credit but somehow, I was given the admission. I accepted the offer with gratitude, though not without anxiety cause deep down, I knew something wasn’t solid and anything could happen which eventually did.
The admission was withdrawn.
By then, everyone at my workplace already knew. They had shared in my joy, asked about my plans, celebrated the milestone. So when the foundation crumbled, the hardest part wasn’t the loss, it was the questions that followed: “How’s school going?”
Each time someone asked, it felt like a spotlight shining on the one truth I wanted to hide. I had to speak it. I had no option but to spit it out: I didn’t make it in after all.
To me, exposure is exactly that- being forced to tell a truth you’d rather bury. One that comes with shame, disappointment, or fear of judgment.
We fear exposure because of what it drags out of us; shame, vulnerability, failure, and loss of control over how others see us. It’s like standing in front of the world, no mask, no armor.
Nonetheless, if we can learn to lean into exposure and not fight it, it can be freeing. I believe it can: teache humility, help one build courage and most of all, it reminds us that we are humans, not flawless, just humans.
