Yeah, I don't even know...

This is verbatim what he wrote, btw:

"Erin, I didn't find this to be the simple rant you so offhandedly described it to be. I felt that it was very much aligned with the concepts of the persuasive essay we covered in class and in the text. It may have been a bit more challenging if you had chosen an audience with whom you weren't so intimately familiar, but you were not directed to do so. You wrote with compassion and conviction, and to do so isn't often done with as much balance as you demonstrate. I would have appreciated more voices integrated in your essay: If only they had been voices of the school mates you interviewed. As it is, your letter doesn't seem to be as well-formed as it could be. Still, though, very impressive work. I don't know how much effort you feel you put into the work, but I hope you know that your talent goes well beyond an adept ability to craft words and thoughts. You have a very well-developed emotional intelligence that I hope you continue to develop. Of the three classical rhetorical devices two are dependent on emotional intelligence. I hope you acknowledge that aspect of your gift and share it often with others."

Maybe that's why I'm not doing the mediation essay. I already spend most of my time mediating and generally looking after people as it is.