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About Me Stories

A publication dedicated to bringing out the stories behind the writers themselves. A place of autobiographies. Types of personal stories include introductions, memoirs, self-reflections, and self-love.

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I’m Ashamed To Take My Shirt Off

8 min readNov 22, 2021

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young boy covering his face shamefully
(Photo: Pexels.com)

I’ve been hiding a painful secret for more than half my life. It’s affected how I treat myself, family, friends, and strangers, essentially shaping who I’ve been. Now, I’m finally ready to shed it — prepared to shine some light on imperfections, the cost of carrying shame, and how to unburden yourself.

The urge to finally share has been like a cup slowly filling and finally brimming over the top after a conversation with my pastor.

Here goes nothing.

Pain and Shame

When I was 12, I cut my shoulder during football practice. Like the tough guy I thought I was, I wore shoulder pads without a shirt, and my upper torso took a beating.

A few days later, I realized the wound wasn’t closing. I didn’t think much of it until puberty knocked on the door, and I began experiencing face and body acne. My shoulders were especially susceptible.

And to my dismay, I began realizing that more wounds were opening than were healing correctly. Any scratch, scrape, or blemish lingered around as painful reminders of missteps and mistakes.

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About Me Stories
About Me Stories

Published in About Me Stories

A publication dedicated to bringing out the stories behind the writers themselves. A place of autobiographies. Types of personal stories include introductions, memoirs, self-reflections, and self-love.

Rice & Beans
Rice & Beans

Written by Rice & Beans

I’m a Father, Marathon Runner, Teacher & Parenting Consultant. My goal is to affirm, celebrate, and elevate Latino parents of the past/present/future.

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