Scars & Lessons

Think about the last time you needed a Band-Aid.  You know the kind that you use for those minor cuts that tend to be painful for a few days; leaving tiny scars or simply go away without leaving a mark.  The memory of what caused those scars fades as quickly as the mark itself.  Then there are the deep cuts.  They may need surgery or stitches to help heal those deep wounds.  Leaving us with a scar, a visible reminder of the pain or incident that caused it and potentially the emotions that are still attached.

The same can be said for emotional scars.  There are the superficial ones like the rejection of the girl or guy when you asked them out, getting fired from your first job or the verbal attacks from the angry guy in line at the grocery store, angry about life, taking out on you.  Counter that with the deep emotional cuts like your husband or wife leaving you, the daily verbal abuse from a loved one or being fired from your last 10 out of 11 jobs.  The deepest can be the secrets we keep that shape us without awareness like; molestation, rape or addiction.

REALITY CHECK.  There are no rules when it comes to what is going to cut you the deepest in life.  Everyone has a story and most of us have a wide range of scars and marks.  It’s not about competition or “show and tell.”  This blog post may change your perspective.  Have you thought about what caused the scars so they can never be relived? Or who you need in your life to help these scars; both physical and emotional heal?

In the physical world, emotionally we need “therapy” and the support of friends and family to help us heal.  Emotional cuts from your father calling you “stupid” your whole life and living in a toxic environment can be just as deep as the person who got physically cut by machinery on the job.  So stop comparing or burying the scars and seek the help you need so those “scars” don’t keep you from having that healthy relationship you've always wanted.   Take the steps to be sure your scars are subtle reminders of where you have been and what you have learned so that you can overcome those scars and succeed in the future.

“A scar simply means that you were stronger than whatever tried to hurt you.”

“Even Jesus had scars on his hands. That didn't stop him from changing the world.”