In The Bag

Thursday evening I joined my wonderful friend, Melissa J., at It’s In The Bag, a fundraiser for The Compass Center in Sioux Falls, SD. The Compass Center is a non-profit agency that works to prevent domestic and sexual violence. Melissa and I spoke about the gift of our friendship that grew out of our shared journey of hurt and healing.

Support of friends and family means so much, but there’s something about having a friend who can understand the darkness of the bad days and the light of the good days, and for that, I treasure my friendship with Melissa. The evening also included a lot of amazing purses and I couldn’t walk away without getting something. I am now the proud owner of a vintage bag (c. 1948) and even met the woman who donated it. She shared with me how she bought the bag and matching shoes back in the days when you dressed up to travel. The bag looks like you could buy it from any store today, except for a few very light pencil marks inside. It reminded me of the journey to be a survivor and how on the outside we may look whole and perfect, there will always be something we carry inside but with friends and family, we do not carry the work of healing alone.