I’m rarely nervous. My biggest worry is that no one will actually show up. I love sharing this story, and it’s wonderful to meet so many people for whom the story resonates.
I did a reading in Stockholm at the Karolinska Institute, where I’ve been involved with medical education and writing projects. The majority of the audience was young, in contrast to my audiences in the US. I’d say a third of the students who attended were of middle Eastern descent. They wanted to talk to me afterward. It was lovely. There was no preconceived notion that my family story wasn’t relatable for them.
So many people want to talk to me after readings, to share their thoughts and their stories. I feel like people know me through my speaking and writing; it sometimes adds up to a closeness that is completely magical. The power of the word.