Every ending carried the seed of a new beginning.
Akutu had spent the past few months letting go—of regrets, fears, and even people. But now, she stood at the threshold of something new.
And this time, she was ready to embrace it.
The first new beginning came with writing.
The workshop she attended had been a turning point. Surrounded by aspiring writers, she realized that her stories had value—not just to her, but to others.
One of the mentors pulled her aside after a reading session.
"You have a voice that needs to be heard," he said. "Have you considered submitting to national publications?"
Akutu hesitated. "I don't think I'm good enough for that."
He chuckled. "Then you're exactly where you need to be. Every great writer starts with doubt. The difference is—they submit anyway."
That night, she stared at an email draft for hours before finally hitting send.
A new beginning had begun.
The second new beginning came with friendships.
Sarah had been her closest friend for years, but Akutu realized that she had never really expanded her circle.
She had always been cautious with people, hesitant to open up.
But one afternoon, during a group project, she found herself laughing with a few classmates she had never spent much time with before.
They invited her to an event on campus, and for the first time in a long time, she said yes without overthinking.
As she sat with them that evening, she realized how much she had been missing.
New beginnings weren't always about big changes. Sometimes, they were about allowing new people into your life.
The biggest new beginning, however, came with herself.
For years, Akutu had defined herself by what she thought she should be. A perfect student. A responsible daughter. A safe, predictable person.
But now, she was learning to define herself differently.
One day, as she stood before a mirror, she whispered the words she had been too afraid to say for years.
"I am enough."
And she meant it.
For the first time in a long time, she wasn't just existing.
She was living.
The pulleys of life had shifted once again.