Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Scars


There is a scar on my chin, although you can’t see it underneath my beard. It is a souvenir of a time when I was young and reckless. I got it falling off my bike headfirst as I carelessly zoomed down the steep hill where I lived as a kid. 25 stitches later, it left a jagged scar that although has faded over time, reminds me that sometimes you need to slow down and pay attention to the world around you.

I have two circular scars on the back of my right hand, which I told people was from a street hockey incident at summer camp. However, they are actually the result of having a series of warts burned off that mysteriously kept reappearing during my last year of junior high. For years, I didn’t have the self-confidence to admit to anyone what had truly caused the scars.

My other scar is not prominent. It’s a little white line near the fingernail of my index finger that I received while trying to cut through a super ball with a pocket knife, even though my dad had warned me not to. I had to spend the evening with him in the emergency room, enduring his silent but piercing “I told you so” stare. That scar is a reminder that my father is a wise man to whom I should pay attention.

My collection of scars is small. And while they don’t come with any truly great stories, each permanent mark on my body serves as a reminder of who I was and what I’ve learned along the way.

Scars can reveal a lot about a person. So what scars do you have and what stories do they tell about you?

13 comments:

x said...

I have a scar on my nose from when my psycho coustin threw a rock at my face for no reason. Jerk!

Chapter Two said...

Oh man! I have scars - since we don't have all day we will brush on the big obvious ones: I have a scar that extends half way across my stomach - this scar saved my life, I had surgery when I was four. I have a scar on my left breast where I had two lumps removed. I don't have much of a belly button left (and it used to be such a cute one) from multiple laprascopic surgeries. I have internal scars from both endometriosis and chronic kidney stone disease. I have a large scar on my right shin from scraping it to the bone when I was running out of the house to tell my mom something exciting in High School. There are scars on my knees and head from cuts and a few stitches. etc etc etc

What have I learned from these - life goes on. Pick yourself up, and continue on. Time and your body heal things, it is the mind we fight.

SciFi Dad said...

I have a scar on my thigh from a chemical burn when I worked at an aluminum casting plant.

I also have a six inch scar where they put a plate in my leg after I broke my fibula falling down the stairs (while carrying my baby girl).

I've got others, but really, this a comment and not a post.

Hubman said...

I have a similar scar of my chin, similar circumstances too! Over the handlebars on my bike, stopping with my face, 50 or so stitches later and the hole in my chin was closed up.

Shelle-BlokThoughts said...

I have a scar just below my kneecap that I got playing boys chase girls and having a battle with the closing bathroom door...true story.

And let's not forget the "scars" my children gave me while bearing them! TMI? :)

OneZenMom said...

Scars CAN tell you a lot about someone.

I got my first scar - my smallest one - at age 3: Emergency room stitches to my face.

I got my last - and biggest - when I was 33, giving birth to my second son.

There were several more in between.

But you're right: They all have a story.

Thanks for sharing yours.

TentCamper said...

I have 2 scars on my head...one from falling off a chair when I was about 3 (had 10 stitches) the other is from an attempted mugging where I was hit over the head with a wine bottle (another 15 stitches)
then I have one on my hand from falling when I tried to walk up a flight of cement stairs while on stilts (in 6th grade)
...I think that is about it

Mariah said...

When I was little I had a weird thing called trigger thumb. My thumb was locked down into my palm and I had to have it surgically fixed. It left a scar. I have more, much more from years and years of playing soccer. But I like my thumb scar the best

Unknown said...

My father likes to say he funded the new ER at the local hospital because of all my ER visits as a kid.

Man do I got scars.
One on the back of my head from when I fell off a skateboard and fractured my skull and got stiches in 4th grade.
One on my forhead where I went over the handles of a dirtbike in the woods and got stitches at 13.
6 left knee surgeries worth of scars including a recent ACL replacement last August.
Left middle finger scar from the surgery I had to fix the flexor ligament after I not only cored the apple but my finger too.
Left thumb scar from repair of the Ulnar ligament that I tore dislocating and breaking my thumb playing softball 3 years ago.
ummm theres more but you get the point.
I think it says I play hard. Really hard. And havent stopped playing hard for 44 years. Either that or I'm stupid. ;)

Joanna Cake said...

A caesarean scar where I was cut twice to remove my kids - the second surgeon managed to go on the same line.

And a a half-inch white line at the side/base of my left index finger. Trying to remove the last scraps from a lamb bone with a bread knife - not one of my better decisions :)

Danielle said...

I have an exhaust scar on the back of my leg.
A screw entering my thigh left a scar.
C-Section scar from my little devil child.
Road rash scar from one of my 2 motorcycle crashes.
And a deep scar down my shin from one of the motorcycle crashes.

sweetsinnergwen said...

Scars are unquestionable sexy. However, all mine belie my impulsivity and renlentless nature. Chicken pox scar on head, screwdriver scar on hand.

Anonymous said...

Hello from Ukraine !

This the interesting topic !

Yes, I have the scar also, but not visible to the eye, it inside, and live in the heart, but, that the other story !

Sincerely,

Marina.

Ukraine.

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