Almost everyone I have met can tell me a story around almost every scar on their body. How old they were, where they got it, why it happened and so on. Think about it…look at a scar on your body right now and I bet you can remember almost to the day where, why, and how you got it.
Our childhood is full of these stories. Perhaps the scar on your shin came from the fall off a bike or the scar on your finger came from the Swiss army knife you were using to whittle a stick. These scars…battle scars tell a tale. They are a roadmap of sorts in our journey on this planet. Many of us are proud of our scars and reflect favorably on the days of our youth and fearless pursuit of whatever it was we were aspiring to have, be, or do at that particular moment.
I remember one scar over my right eye that I got playing high school hockey. Fighting for the puck in the offensive zone and went down in the process and as the play started to go the other way got stepped on…lost part of the bone along the eye socket and had a heck of a black eye! Great battle scar that I still tell the tale to whoever will listen. Of course the story is much more exaggerated than it really was but it is a fun story none the less.
Whats my point?
This week I came across some people who like me had hip replacement surgery or were about to go in for surgery. There were quite a few people who seemed distraught at the thought of having a scar. Prior to having my surgery I have to admit I was a little concerned about having a scar yet afterwards I saw this as a battle scar and that I won the battle. The war may not be completely over yet at this moment in time I know that I have won. Unfortunately I no longer will be able to wear my speedo on the beach without attracting attention…okay okay wearing a speedo always attracts attention!
The real issue about having a scar is not the physical one but the emotional one. We can see the physical scars yet for many their emotional scars are so much bigger. Some feel that they are going to be looked at differently. I don’t see it that way. I believe those who have had surgery are the ones that look at others differently…looking to see if someone notices or says something hurtful. Protecting ourselves from insensitive comments by not telling people around us. That’s a load of crap! It is time to park the ego and accept that everyone has something going on their life and I mean everyone!
Know this…it is not your fault!
Anyone who reads this blog can attest to the physical and emotional scars in their life. You are who you are today as a result of getting those battle scars. They tell a story, your story, share this story, they are your roadmap and have made you who you are today.
Love who you are and all the scars that go with it!
John One Hip Guy