More often than not, the world only gives us a glimpse of what lies beyond the surface. But sometimes, what lies beneath is what truly matters.

I always thought that Sarah was just another colleague at work. She was always quiet and reserved, and never really seemed interested in joining in on the office banter. I didn’t think much of it, as everyone has their own way of coping with a stressful job.

But it wasn’t until a few months ago that I discovered there was so much more to Sarah than what met the eye. It was a regular day at work, and I was swamped with meetings and deadlines. I didn’t notice that Sarah was missing from her desk until I heard a commotion coming from the break room.

When I got there, I saw that Sarah had collapsed on the floor. I quickly called for help, and we rushed her to the hospital. It was then that we found out that Sarah had been battling cancer for the past year, and had been keeping it a secret from everyone.

From that day on, everything changed. Sarah became more than just a quiet colleague – she became someone to admire and respect. She showed up to work with a renewed sense of purpose, and her work ethic was unparalleled. She worked harder than ever before, and her focus and determination were contagious.

It wasn’t long before her hard work and dedication paid off, and she was promoted to a senior position within the company. Her colleagues, myself included, were all blown away by her resilience and strength.

Sarah’s story taught me that there’s always more to someone than what meets the eye. We never know what someone might be going through behind closed doors, and it’s important to always show kindness and empathy to those around us.