Our scars tell our stories. They are the mile markers, showing the distance we’ve come. They are a history of heartache, a solemn reminder, evidence of victory, memories rather forgotten or all of the above.
We should wear them with vulnerability and share our stories because you never know who’s hiding their own scars.
Here is the story of Rachel’s scars:
It’s still so fresh to remember when Rachel was rushed into emergency surgery on August 5th, 2018. She had a total obstruction in her colon and she was at risk of a total rupture. She sat with me in the surgery prep room, she had been given two minutes to say goodbye, hand me her wedding ring, and be whisked away to the operating room.
We were stunned during those two minutes, she had just ran five miles the day before and felt fine! Now she stared at her belly in disbelief. She had made it through three babies without scars but now she would have a new six inch scar and a temporary colostomy. This was the first big trial of her life and she didn’t know if she was ready.
The two minutes were up and she was rushed into the next room…
Thus kicked off a journey of pain, battle, and victory that would be written in her scars, the new wrinkles under our eyes, and grey hairs on our head. This was the beginning of our cancer story.
We should share the stories our scars tell with anyone who will listen. You never know who may be hiding their own scars and just need to know they are not alone.
What stories do your scars tell?