Life has a way of piling things on, doesn't it? We accumulate experiences, good and bad, and sometimes the bad ones feel like incredibly heavy bags we're forced to carry alone. I remember a time when I felt like that, burdened by invisible luggage that no one seemed willing to help me with. My bags were packed with depression , deep-seated trust issues , unaddressed trauma , and a whole lot of secrets I was afraid to ever reveal. The weight was crushing, and the thought of anyone seeing what was inside filled me with dread. Then, she entered my life. She had her own scars, of course. Who doesn't? Her struggles included a battle with anxiety and the lingering ache of childhood wounds . Yet, despite her own burdens, her heart was remarkably steady. I braced myself for the usual reaction when I started to, hesitantly, show her the broken parts of myself. I expected the flinch, the uncomfortable silence, the eventual retreat. But it never came. She didn't flinch. She di...