A Letter to My Friend: On Cookies, Cafés, and Chasing Dreams

Dear Krystel,

We became friends because of your cookies.

The first time I tasted them, I knew I wanted another.

And then another.

Somewhere between repeat orders and casual conversations, our friendship quietly grew.

We talked about working abroad—whether in the Middle East or in the United States. We talked about chasing opportunities wherever they might lead us.

Then one day, almost as if we were thinking out loud, we started talking about opening cafés of our own.

You’d supply the cookies.

I’d fill the shelves with books.

Maybe you thought it was just one of those conversations people eventually forget.

But I didn’t.

I held onto that dream.

Lately, I’ve been thinking about saving enough to build my own little café. Learning how to bake. Starting a small business.

Sometimes I can already imagine it.

The scent of cinnamon and vanilla drifting through the air.

Fresh pastries coming out of the oven every morning.

The rich aroma of freshly brewed coffee.

And, of course…

Books.

Rows and rows of books lining the shelves.

Hopefully, someday, many of them will be mine.

Published.

What started as a passing conversation has slowly become a dream worth working toward.

And now, here we are—both stepping into the insurance industry, taking another moonshot together.

Not because it’s our final destination.

But because it’s another stepping stone toward the lives we’re trying to build.

Toward something bigger.

Something grander.

Thank you, Tel, for your generous heart.

For always making room for me in your plans.

For lending me the money I needed for my exam application when I was just starting out.

Most of all, thank you for believing in me.

Not once did you make me feel like my dreams were too big or too impossible.

Your kindness, your sincerity, and the quiet joy you bring into every room are what drew me to our friendship.

I’m so grateful that life allowed our paths to cross.

Now we’re not only walking alongside each other—we’re building our futures one goal at a time.

Here’s to more moonshots.

To cafés.

To books.

To cookies.

And to dreams that begin as ordinary conversations.

With all my love,

Joy