Scars of a Warrior

From a young age we begin to accumulate bumps, bruises, and "owies". It's part of a normal, fun childhood. We fall down, scrap a knee, cry for Mom or some other adult to fix it, and head back out to do what we just got hurt doing. Some injuries just needed to be washed, some had to have a bandage, and a few required a kiss to make it better. I seemed to be a klutz! If I didn't have some wound by the end of the day it was a miracle.

Every so often our injuries are a little more severe and leave a scar. A simple loss of balance while walking on a pile of cinder blocks left me with a series of scars below my knee. Edges of countertops, bicycle crashes, broken glass in the trash sack, and mishaps on the playground have resulted in short term and long lasting scars for me or my girls.

Sometimes our scars are from stupidity, plain and simple. Many times those, "Hey ya'll, watch this!" moments turn into ER visits and stories for a lifetime. Maddy had a large scarred area on his leg because a wad of pop bottle rockets he had in his pocket exploded from, let's just say, "unsafe practices".

Other times, the scars we carry are from circumstances beyond our control. Perhaps you needed a surgery or you were involved in a car crash. Maybe there was a workplace accident or you were the victim of a violent crime. I've seen burn victims, those who have lost limbs, and people who have become paralyzed.

Of course, some scars are deep inside; emotional scars that are just as painful and just as life altering.

We may have gotten our scars in different ways, but one thing scars have in common is they are a sign of healing. Those scars I have from injuries and surgeries are there because the wound healed. Some may have taken a couple days while others took weeks, but they closed up and sealed away the tender parts. Sometimes they are still painful, but over time the pain fades or even goes away completely.

Scars are a symbol that you have gone through a painful ordeal. Soldiers may have scars from battle. Warriors of the past considered scars as a sign of strength and power. Perhaps that's what we should do. Every scar you carry, whether physical or emotional, is a sign of an injury or hurt that you have gone through and survived. You may not look or feel the same as before the scars marred your body, but you have come through it and can say, "I survived."

After my recent breast cancer surgery, I now have two new scars to add to my list. They aren't small, and they definitely aren't pretty, but they are evidence of another battle that I faced and came out victorious. I hope that they will fade over time, but I will proudly tell anyone who asks how they came to be and how they are a symbol of another challenge that I chose to meet head on. They will always remind me that God is watching over and protecting me.

No matter what the scar, no matter how large or small, no matter what part of the body it may affect, that scar has changed the person in some way. Of course, the physical appearance has been altered, but every scar has a story. Some may be humorous, while others may be heartbreaking.

The story you carry about your scar may be a story someone needs to hear. Your pain, your journey, your healing, may give that person who has just received a similar scar the strength and courage to begin his or her own personal journey to healing. Remember you have the scars of a warrior who fought the battle and came out on the other side to tell the tale. Proudly tell it!