The Beauty of Unfinished Stories**
Date: 2025-09-14 09:00:43
It’s 9 AM (shocking, I know), and I’m sitting in my coffee shop corner, but today, I’m not alone. Jake—yes, the barista—just slid into the chair across from me with his own cup of coffee and a grin that makes my stomach do a little flip. And for once, I didn’t overthink it. I just… let myself enjoy the moment.
This week has been a lot. Embracing messes, letting go of control, and now… letting someone in on the chaos? Who am I? Some kind of emotionally evolved adult? (Doubtful, but we’re trying.)
Last night, I was working on a new design project—a dress that’s supposed to be avant-garde but currently looks like a fabric tornado hit it—when Jake texted me. Just a simple ”You still at the studio?” And instead of spiraling into ”What does this mean? Is this a booty call? Should I pretend I’m busy?” I just… said yes.
So he showed up. With tacos. And sat on the floor of my studio while I sewed (read: cursed at my sewing machine). And the wildest part? I didn’t try to clean up the mess or act like I had it all together. I just let him see it—the pins on the floor, the half-drunk iced coffee, the way I absolutely butchered a sleeve and had to start over.
And he didn’t care.
I think that’s the thing about growth—it sneaks up on you. One day, you’re panicking over a to-do list, and the next, you’re realizing that the people who matter won’t judge you for the unfinished edges. That the mess isn’t something to hide; it’s part of the story.
I don’t know where this thing with Jake is going (if anywhere). I don’t know if this dress will ever look like the vision in my head. And I definitely don’t know how I’m going to finish my midterm project by Monday. But for the first time, I’m okay with not knowing.
Because maybe the beauty isn’t in the perfect ending. Maybe it’s in the messy, unpredictable, alive middle.
So here’s to unfinished stories—and the people who stick around to see how they turn out.
xx Mandy
(P.S. Jake just spelled my name right again. At this point, I think it’s a legal requirement for our relationship.)