Acceptance: Philippe's Journey Through a French New Wave World

Proximae, in the 18th century, was a world of avant-garde opportunity and culture, especially where space travel and technology flourished. Heading there, in orbit, was Philippe. A young man on the cusp of his potential, Philippe was often overcome with worry; worry over being accepted, worry over being loved. He was awkward, hesitant and unsure of himself. His only grounding was his yellow sweater, a starburst of colour near his heart, a symbolisation of hope and a sense of belonging.

It was with this wardrobe choice that he, unknowingly, stepped into his creative journey To write a story. Not any story, but a very boring story about a man who wears a yellow sweater - which felt quite tragically autobiographical for Philippe. But even as his words began to give structure to the story, he could not find the courage to let himself be seen, to be accepted.

So, he wrote with great depth and ambition, and as he created characters, his ideas about self began to form. He met two women who quickly grew ever larger in his story. Antinea was a carefree ballerina from Proximae, rich with passion in the arts and joy in her heart.Philippe's second female character was Dodo, a serious astrophysicist from another planet, resolute in her pursuit of scientific knowledge and headstrong in her emotions. Between Antinea's resilience, and Dodo's determination to prove herself - Philippe's perception of acceptance began to change, and as he continued to write, his courage to let himself be observed, and ultimately accepted, grew.

By the of the story, Philippe could almost taste the sweet victory of having a finished story but, ready to give himself the best chance possible, he pushed the boundaries on his writing style. Complex sentences and a heightened sense of the characters’ come-uppings, built with brevity and care, he was preparing for the astonishing .

Here, each woman’s push-and-pull on Philippe’s world forced him to confront both his own perception of acceptance, as well as the expectations of the Proximae. But, as it so can happen, it was these same expectations that sparked that jolt of courage to be seen and accepted.

The chaotic scenes of the climax started to spiral into focus, as Philippe crafted the perfect ending to his story. The moment where Philippe finally finds himself enjoying the companionship and love; accepting himself and letting others in, felt both joyous and heavy. All of Philippe’s emotions in that moment led to a conclusion that was obviously French New Wave, but unforgettable around the world - the moving end to Philippe’s story and his acceptance of himself.