The Suitcase and the Eagle: My Whole Story, Unfiltered

When it came time to choose the cover art for my book, I knew it had to be more than just a pretty picture. It needed to be a whisper of the journey inside, a silent promise of the truth you'd find on every page. And for me, that truth is captured perfectly in two powerful symbols: the suitcase and the eagle.

This isn't just about an aesthetic choice; it's the story of my life, and maybe, just maybe, it's the story of yours too.

The Suitcase: The Identity We Packed Away. We all have one, don't we? That invisible luggage we left behind when we were forced to respond in a hurry. The suitcase on my cover is a powerful metaphor for the pieces of ourselves we intentionally pack away to survive. I remember the times when being too tender felt like a liability, when using my voice felt like a dangerous act. And so, I carefully folded up my innocence, my creativity, and my truest self, zipping them tight inside that metaphorical suitcase. It was a survival mechanism and a way to navigate difficult times with less vulnerability.

But the journey of this book is about reclaiming that suitcase. It's about facing what held you back, releasing the desire to escape, and kneeling, slowly unzipping it, and saying, "I want that back." It is the ultimate act of self-love: taking back the parts of you that you once abandoned.

If the suitcase represents the journey of retrieval, the eagle is the glorious destination of rebirth.

For me, the eagle speaks to transformation. It symbolizes the moment you look at your scars and realize they aren't proof of your brokenness, but evidence of your fierce resilience. It’s that exhilarating knowledge that you have gained new wings to not just survive the fall, but learning how to fly to new heights.

It means leaving behind the mindset of simply "getting by" and stepping fully into the mindset of thriving and exploring all that life has to offer.

The Unfiltered Truth: My Art, My Heart

This is where the story of the cover gets deeply personal. I made the conscious choice to bypass professional design and use my original artwork for the cover.

I realized that if I was putting my whole life story out there—my innocence, my hope, my survival—then what was a little more vulnerability? I decided against the polished, perfect version a design agency could create. I needed the visual to have the same raw honesty as the words inside.

When you hold my book, you are seeing my hand, my energy, and my soul on the cover. I chose vulnerability over polish because I believe it is the only way to genuinely connect. My cover is saying, “Here is my story, and here is my heart, imperfections and all.”

This decision is the final, powerful act of reclaiming my creativity. It confirms that I am no longer just surviving; I am leading with my whole, unedited self. That level of authenticity acts as a magnet, ensuring that the message of reclaiming your truth and taking flight gets directly into the hands of the people who truly need to hear it.

I hope that my story, and my cover, give you a simple, powerful message: Your flight is waiting. It is time to reclaim your most precious pieces and soar.

I'd love to hear from you. What essential part of yourself have you had to 'pack away', and what is the symbol that represents your own soaring rebirth?