My Thousand Beautiful Scars

Scars can heal and reveal who you are

picture generated with Midjourney by author

A thousand cuts from a blend of family trauma inherited from my great-grandmother, guilt that I felt over the responsibility for my sister’s death in a car accident, and a toxic family puppeteered by my narcissistic abuser mother, made me cocoon up and bury myself away to protect my essence — and, frankly, to ensure my very survival, — also somehow helped me break free during my becoming.

The walk was a lone and long one through this inferno.

Those old wounds while healing cracked open and shed the hardened, dead skin of a warrior, allowing my true self to break to the surface.

The person underneath is beautiful.

I am gentle.

I am strong.

I am funny.

I am caring.

I am fierce.

I am creative.

I am powerful.

I am limitless.

I am unapologetic.

I have been through hell, yet I shine my light every day.

© Andi Nara