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A faintly visible scar from age 4
Left by a straightening comb
Laying in front of the mirror that
Has all but completely faded away,
Is forever engraved in my memory.
When mom went out of the kitchen
I called myself posing in the mirror
And branded myself as I leaned down.
Two scars left from scratching
Chicken pox will forever hold
Center stage right between my eyes.
A scar from falling in the third grade
On my left knee doesn’t seem to
Want to go away either.
But that’s okay as I continue
Taking a good look at myself
In the mirror.
The longest scar graces my abdomen.
Never from a needed cesarean
Just a few issues requiring attention
Came about instead.
I see as I turn from right to left
My bullet hole looking wounds
From previous surgeries.
One on the right, 2 on the left
Just above my waistline,
Usually get the “OMG what happened?”
Response when seen.
Matching heel spur surgery wounds
On both feet at my outer ankles
Brought about some relief from
Life’s battle with the world and myself.
All physical wounds heal over time,
As they leave us with stories to tell
Good bad or indifferent.
Never purposely on display
But sometimes revealed
By comparison as we
Individualize our uniqueness and heal.
Now those emotional battle scars?
You know them.
The ones that made us who we are.
The constant reminder of
Memory Lane’s past traveled roads
Remain just below the surface.
The deeper set battle wounds though,
Need more than time to heal.
You remember them,
The ones that sting and hurt
At the mere mention of them.
They dictate how or if we
Deal with individuals and
The acceptation of societal ways;
They require a different approach.
Time delivered incrementally
With understanding the how and why
Begins the healing process.
Time cauterizes old wounds
Delivered by offenders who
By way of karma I’d presume
Received their just deserved.
All battle scars will heal
With proper love, faith and support
But most of all the belief of
The suffering that it can and will be done.
We can all help each other heal,
The question is will you be
A band aid or the ointment?
1/15/20
