Scar Collection
Many people are collectors. Penelope Cruz collects hangers – 500 different types. Reese Witherspoon collects vintage linens and embroidered pieces. Lou Ferrigno from The Incredible Hulk collects Beanie Babies and Tom Hanks has more than 250 typewriters.
When I was younger I collected angels and Thad collected dragons. But by the time Thad and I downsized to the house here in Oviedo, I had stopped collecting angels. Our home was filled to the brim with not an inch to spare. So I stopped collecting anything…well maybe not shoes for I am always in search of a comfortable pair of shoes. But I digress.
Maybe I didn’t collect enough angels because they certainly didn’t protect me from surgical procedures that require suturing and leaving a reminder in the form of scars.
I apparently collect scars. It’s not intentional believe me.
I have added another scar to my collection – this time on my nose. It was to remove a basal cell carcinoma which I hadn’t even noticed. It looked like a little skin had brushed off and was just a bit shiny and pink. A biopsy proved otherwise.
I try to put it into perspective. We don’t set out to acquire things but life has a way of giving them to us anyway. Each scar is a story, a lesson learned, knowledge gained, and often useful in sharing what I have learned to aid others as we cross paths.
Better some scars than no living breathing body at all. Scars certainly beat the alternative. I am not quite ready to move into the “Big House” in the sky. I want to be around to be a part of my grandchildren’s lives, to share moments with my daughter and son-in-love and to enjoy the nature that God has provided to us here on earth. I want to see the ocean at sunrise and sunset because it always has a way of centering my body, mind and soul. I want to listen to the birds in my back yard announcing a new day because they remind me that it’s the small things that can help bring peace and comfort into this topsy-turvy world.
By the time the good Lord says it’s time to leave this earth, I am sure I will be ready to let this marked up body of mine go. In the meantime, I will try to enjoy each day as a gift.
And, it seems, collect more scars.
What do you collect? Do you see your scars as damaged goods. Do you hide your scars or see them as battles won? Share so that others might join in the conversation.
Thank you for reading my post. If you have found it encouraging please consider liking, commenting or sharing it. Feel free to even re-blog – may these words take flight!
I have additional insights I’d love to share with you found in the pages of my debut book: Surviving Medical Mayhem – Laughing When It Hurts. To order a copy or learn more go to my website at www.lorettaschoen.com
Blessings for Health & Wellness.