W2: "The Day I Woke Up with a Superpower"

I've always been fascinated by the idea of reading minds. After watching Inside Out in primary school, I became obsessed with the inner workings of the mind. Riley’s emotions—Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear, and Disgust—made me wonder: what if I could see people’s emotions and thoughts just like that?

My curiosity extended beyond humans—I wanted to understand my dog, Cookie. A small, brown-furred pup with a scent like dark chocolate, Cookie was my best friend. I could tell when he was happy or scared, but I longed to hear his thoughts, to know how much he loved me.

One evening, lost in thought, I took Cookie for a walk. A gentle breeze carried dandelion fluff through the air, and one seed brushed against my nose. I sneezed but didn’t think much of it.

That night, everything changed.

The next morning, I woke to a strange swirling noise. I thought it was my relatives visiting, but then Cookie ran to me, his tail wagging. Suddenly, I heard a voice—not a bark, but words inside my head: Hi friend! Good to see you! Please, please, please play with me!

I froze. Did Cookie just... talk? His mouth wasn’t moving, but I was hearing his thoughts! Stunned, I rushed downstairs, where my mom was making breakfast. Before she spoke, I blurted out, “Mom, are we having spaghetti for dinner?”

She turned, startled. “How did you know?”

“Just a lucky guess!” I laughed nervously.

I had gained the ability to read minds. But soon, I realized it wasn’t all fun and games.

At school, I uncovered something unpleasant. Lily, a girl who had been especially friendly since I became class monitor, wasn’t truly my friend. How can she be so confident? She’s useless. The only reason she stands out is because she’s the class monitor.

My heart sank. I had thought she liked me, but she was just using me. My power, which had seemed like a gift, was now revealing painful truths.

At home, I overheard my parents' thoughts during their frequent arguments. My mom’s mind whispered, Why is he being so cold and distant? My dad’s thoughts were heavy with stress: Our costs are being cut, and the company is getting sued.

Realizing what was happening, I decided to intervene. My dad was overwhelmed, and my mom mistook his silence for indifference. One evening, as they sat in tense silence, I finally spoke. “Dad, maybe Mom just wants to understand what’s been bothering you.”

He looked up, startled. My mom’s expression softened. “If something is wrong, you don’t have to go through it alone.”

For the first time in weeks, my dad opened up. My mom listened, and instead of arguing, they worked through the problem together. I realized my power wasn’t just about knowing thoughts—it was about helping people communicate and understand each other better.

The biggest impact, however, came from Cookie. One afternoon, I heard his thoughts: My stomach hurts… yiiiieww… He looked fine, but something was clearly wrong. I begged my parents to take him to the vet. They were skeptical, but when the vet examined him, we were shocked—Cookie had early-stage cancer. The doctor was amazed we caught it so soon. Thanks to my ability, Cookie got treatment in time.

Despite the advantages of reading minds, I decided to keep my power a secret. I learned to filter out negativity and focus on the people who genuinely cared about me. Some friendships faded, but I found peace in knowing the true ones remained.

Over time, I learned to use my ability wisely—not to invade privacy, but to help those who truly needed it. I stopped letting unwanted thoughts affect me and focused on strengthening real connections. Some friendships faded, but the ones that mattered remained. My power showed me that true understanding comes not from reading minds, but from listening with an open heart. And as for Cookie? He’s still my happy, tail-wagging best friend, and now, I understand him better than ever.

 

References

Emotion Image

Cowen, A. (2018). How Many Different Kinds of Emotion are There? Frontiers for Young Minds, 6. https://doi.org/10.3389/frym.2018.00015

Dandelion Image

Wu, K. J. (2019, July 2). The uplifting science of how dandelion seeds stay aloft | NOVA | PBS. The Uplifting Science of How Dandelion Seeds Stay Aloft. https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/article/dandelion-seed-flight/

 

 

 

 

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