you are a novel in a sea of magazines

Enneagram type aesthetics (healthy)

Enneagram 1: Crisp white sheets, freshly laundered and neatly laid on the bed. A handwritten letter folded into equal thirds and slipped into a fresh envelope. Handing in a final paper exactly on time, but finishing it the week before. A firm, friendly handshake between people who just met for the first time. A sigh of relief. Nailing a Pinterest recipe on the first try. Gardenias in the spring time. Small lace trim on a sensible dress. A well-aged leather briefcase passed down through generations.

Enneagram 2: The smell of cinnamon buns on a fall morning. Grandmother’s hugs. Grandpa showing you how to fix your bike. Volunteering for charities at Christmas time. Getting a handmade card in the mail. Surprise texts that let you know a friend was thinking about you. Cashmere. Tinkling laughter at a cocktail party. Knowing you’re safe. Arriving to the coffee shop and your friend grabbed your favourite spot and saved it for you. Your first kiss.

Enneagram 3: The feeling right before the gun goes off at the start of the race. A victory lap. A black jacket that goes with everything and looks incredible. A fresh hair cut. Checking the last thing off your to-do list. The heat of stage lights. Games night with old friends. Introducing new friends to one another and everyone hitting it off. Friends who know each other so well they can sit in silence in the same room and consider it a day well spent. 

Enneagram 4: Digging through old trunks in the attic. Trying a new drink at the bar because it sounds dramatic. Holding a friend’s hand while they cry. The joy of discovering a picturesque alleyway. Letting your mind wander for hours. Road trips with the perfect playlist for every landscape. Deep understanding. Finding an old, beat up copy of your favourite book and treasuring the life it’s lead. Dried flowers in a vintage vase. 

Enneagram 5: The smell of an old bookstore. Getting lost on thought trails for hours. A favourite t-shirt that’s worn in all the right places. A monocle passed down through generations. The joy of alone time. Dust drifting lazily through the evening window light. The joy of finally understanding something. Solo hikes in the mountains. A year-long adventure in a foreign country, immersing yourself in the culture. Telling the story for generations.

Enneagram 6: The feeling of sharing your story with a new friend and having them totally understand. Reunion trips in Hawaii. Gathering for orange slices after the soccer game when you’re a kid, and gathering for game night when you all grow up. Quiet nostalgia. A box of embarrassing but endearing photos and treasures from college. The feeling that everything is taken care of. A hug between old friends. Worn in boots that are stylish and functional and fit perfectly. Inside jokes you keep for years.

Enneagram 7: Fireworks in the summer. Working three jobs to save up for a backpacking trip. Drunken karaoke that’s very off key, but everyone sings along and cheers at the end. A mischievous wink. Bragging about knee scrapes after falling off a skateboard while going way too fast. Wearing plaid and polka dots at the same time, because someone said it shouldn’t be done. Ordering menu items that seem terrible, just to try them out. A prank competition between friends.

Enneagram 8: Loud, joyful laughter between friends at a coffee shop. Reading an entire book series in one weekend, wishing you were living the protagonist’s adventurous life. Red lipstick and black turtleneck sweaters. The feeling after a great workout. The smell of strong, fresh coffee. A playful punch from a friend. Opening up to someone and feeling understood. Playing with a rambunctious puppy and cuddling it after you’re both tired out. Taking a secret to the grave.