My Bag for Tara

This is Musi.  I finished this purse a while back and since it was pink, I added "breast cancer" as one of my tags for folks to find it.

What happened next, well, I just think it was a sign.  A sign to think about others, a sign for me to think about how fortunate I am, and to meet someone that has gone through so much, and continues to be joyous about life.

In comes Tara.  Tara found my shop on Etsy because of the purse above and the 'breast cancer' tag.

I still don't really know what possessed me to use that tag.

Back to Tara.  Her message was this:  I am a three time breast cancer survivor and had a double mastectomy.  In January, I'm getting nipples and I'd like to celebrate that with a new purse from you of breasts.

Honestly, I thought it was a prank message at first.  Then, I thought 'Yes'.

I can do this.

And I did.

Through the process, Tara and I wrote notes about sizes, nipple colors, funny things Sam said as I was testing colors.  And in so doing, I came to look forward to the notes.

This became so much more than a custom request.  It became an outlet for me to use my talents to make a bad situation fun.

I can't imagine the conversations she will get into with this purse.

All I know is that it feels good.

It feels good to make someone else feel good.

This bag is limbo with the United States Post Office and I can't wait until she gets it.

And I can't wait for the feeling she'll have when she unwraps the purse.

And I can't wait to hear about her conversations with other women facing the same horrible cancer.

Thank you, Tara.

I may have made something for you, but you made me feel so much more.