The Compass Station is a base for me right now. It’s where I am on my journey, on my path, on the way. I never know what’s next. Here, I can charge my phone. I can use the internet. I can get coffee. I can have great conversations. It’s another place to go besides Starbucks — and the conversations here are better.

When I first needed help, I was honestly blessed [that] people told me where to go. One person told me about a feed. Another place gave me a food bag, a snack bag, and a laundry voucher ... Then I found a little haven where there were showers, sandwiches, and a meal every night. Sometimes the smallest things keep you through the day.

When I think about the future, safety and stability, that means money. I’ve got a place to live now, and I’m not under the gun there. A good day one year from now? I'd have a job. A job, my son here, and doing something he can expand in. I’ve got the itch to start another shop. I’m still a graduate gemologist. I’m still a certified appraiser. I still like rocks.