I got an email from Target. The subject line read, “Dropping 3/23: DVF for Target”.

I clicked on it.

At the top it said, “Diane von Furstenberg for Target”.

Ah, Diane. We’ve come full circle…

Many years ago, while working as a Caregiver, there was a resident who had a subscription to the Oprah magazine.

When she was finished with each magazine, I was given permission to keep it for myself, or toss it.

Being a reader, I would read it first then because I was a minimalist, I would throw it away once I devoured its pages.

My favorite part of the Oprah magazine, were the interviews she did.

One particular interview that Oprah did that has stayed with me all these years later, is the interview she did with Diane von Furstenberg in 2014, December’s issue.

If you don’t know already, Diane made fashion history with her wrap dress back in the 70s.

With all due respect, even though I myself have worn wraparound dresses, I couldn’t care less about this DVF’s claim to fame.

I’m more interested in her mama.

When I read in the Oprah magazine that Diane’s mom was a Holocaust survivor, I was all eyes and clutched the magazine a bit tighter.

For those of you reading this who don’t know me personally, I have been a student of the Holocaust since I was around the age of 10.

I am 50 now and continue to be a student of the Holocaust.

I have read so many autobiographies, watched many documentaries about the Holocaust, its words and visuals have become a part of me.

One of the biggest lessons the Holocaust has taught me is, perspective.

Have you ever starved to death?

Did you ever witness a human being grabbing a baby by the legs and bashing their head against a wall?

Were you ever sent to a concentration camp, wondering where your dad, mom, brother, sister or grandparents were, and someone points to the sky and asks you, “See that smoke?”

This is why I have never been one to feel sorry for myself…or for you.

Sure, I will pray for you. I will hug you and tell you I love you.

But,…

Don’t you dare tell me, or let me read your words that say life is so unfair, why don’t you ever get a break etc.

When I hear or read woe is me from others, I want to hand them a book about the Holocaust and tell them when they’re done reading it to, “Let’s talk.”

Back to Diane von Furstenberg and her interview with Oprah from the Oprah magazine that I read back in 2014.

Diane told Oprah that her mom spent 13 months of her life in Auschwitz, then Neustadt-Glewe in captivity, yet she taught Diane to never think of yourself as a victim.

How powerful is that coming from a Holocaust survivor?

Diane also told Oprah that after her mom had died, a cousin gave her an envelope that held two notes her mom had written.

Lily (Diane’s mom) had been arrested and while she was on the truck, wrote these notes, throwing them in the street.

Someone found the notes and delivered them to Lily’s parents.

Lily writes to her parents that she doesn’t know where she’s going but that she wanted them to know she was leaving with a smile.

Wow.

This was during the Holocaust, folks.

And so it goes, on March 23, 2024, at midnight Arizona time, the Diane von Furstenberg line for Target dropped.

I made my way down the stairs a little after midnight and headed towards the kitchen where my laptop sat on the table.

I had already noted what I wanted to buy.

I bought a total of 7 items that night.

A lamp for $50.00, a tray for $20.00, a bed coverlet for $80.00, lip shape coin purses x5 for $5.00 each, a weekend travel bag for $45.00, a set of 3 travel zip bags for $20.00, and a pack of 3 resistance bands for $30.00.

If I was only allowed to pick one item, it would have been a garment bag.

I was stunned when I saw that all 3 different styles of garment bags had been SOLD OUT!

The line dropped at midnight Arizona time, and it wasn’t even one in the morning!

Who were these people?

Days later I would go back and buy two journals from the line, $10.00 each.

If I knew how to post pictures on this blog, I would have done so, but I don’t.

I did post pictures though on my Facebook page of everything I bought.

(Actually, it was my husband who sponsored this online trip.)

Dear Diane von Furstenberg, I give everything I bought FIVE stars!

Please don’t be bothered by the fact that I thought of your mom the whole time I was online making my purchase.

Or the fact that it is because of her that I made these purchases.

I wish I could have known Lily. She is my kinda gal.

~missy salcido wead