4. The calling

In the meantime, what am I doing in New York? I have no interest in real estate. All my time I spend in the New York Public Library, enjoying archives of fashion magazines. My mind considers it too frivolous, even for a hobby. But if I take a notion of my feelings, I sense the joy of my soul and endless inspiration. If I want to change everything in my life, what if I start a quest to create a material object, a ladies’ handbag that would express who I truly am? I’ve always felt drawn to bags, dowry chests, and treasure chests in fairy tales. They are repositories of magical qualities — mystical objects holding special power for the heroine, guardians of secrets and treasures. A handbag feels like the most powerful object through which I can express my soul. I have no idea what this bag would look like. But I am crystal clear what it would feel like.