The Spanish Leather Purse
I went to Spain last year, then found out I had a brain tumor about two weeks later. Another “first time I’ve done that since brain surgery” moment.
In May of last year, I took a trip to Spain with a friend of mine. It was my first trip to Europe and a trip without my kids. We were there for nine days, visiting three different cities (Barcelona, Girona, and Tossa de Mar). It was an incredible experience.
Toward the end of the trip, I decided, with some encouragement from my friend, to buy a leather purse. My friend told me that Spain is famous for its leather. I had picked up a bunch of small souvenirs along the way, like a Christmas ornament and a little print to put in my office, but not any “big thing” to remember the trip.
We went to a little leather store. The only one I could remotely afford was a small, over-the-shoulder purse, but it was exactly my style. I loved it and decided to buy it as a way to remember the trip. I don’t own a ton of purses, but it’s one thing I’ve invested in over the years: a few high-quality bags.
About two weeks after I returned from Spain, I found out that I had a brain tumor. Two months after that, I had surgery to remove it. Recovery spanned months, including not being able to drive due to double vision. Going out was not really a thing.
Even after I recovered, as a family, we don’t go out much. More often, we order dinner and eat it from the convenience of our home. I’d gone out a few times with friends, but I always pick a purse that matches whatever I’m wearing, and the opportunity hadn’t come up for my Spanish leather purse.
Last week, we decided to go to an upscale Asian restaurant. As I was putting on nice clothes and choosing accessories, I noticed my Spanish purse on my shelf. It still had the tags on it. I’d never taken them off because it was such a short time between arriving home from my trip and learning about the brain tumor.
I decided that our family dinner would be the purse’s maiden voyage. It felt like such a small thing and a big thing at the same time. Small, because it’s just a purse. Big, that it’s yet another step toward normal after so many months of recovery and things being abnormal.
Anna Burgess Yang