Those hoops, that belt, those glasses, that scarf perfectly accessorize the outfit of the day, but wait ... there is no perfect accessory to outfit life.

Our wounds from abuse and trauma are the accessories we can't take or pull off because they're a part of us. Building walls, wearing masks, hiding deep despair in that quick mirror check, even from ourselves. Sound familiar? Well, I'm done hiding. I'm healing.

And the process? It doesn't always look like what I expect.

This isn't my struggle alone; trauma binds us together. Many among us face similar barriers and obstacles. I can't tell my story honestly without telling the story of my mama and the irremovable accessories she passed down to me. If my transparency about how I'm finding healing can help someone else, all the better.

This is our story ...