I ask you right here please to agree with me that a scar is never ugly. That is what the scar makers want us to think. But you and I, we must make an agreement to defy them. We must see all scars as beauty. Okay? This will be our secret. Because take it from me, a scar does not form on the dying. A scar means, I survived. – Little Bee by Chris Cleave
Everyone loves a good scar story.
We all have at least one.
I have six.
Little reminders that have faded over time of my vanity, immaturity and close calls…
In order in which they were received:
1. Inside left leg – I had a benign tumor removed when I was four years old and had to wear a full leg cast for eight weeks. The scar is roughly six inches long and I have only ever been comfortable with my husband touching it. 
2. Left hand – an inch long scar from hitting a mirror in an elevator of our apartment complex upon having an argument with my father. I NEVER thought the mirror would shatter into a million pieces. Nice reminder of my teenage angst, huh? The really sad part is I don’t even remember what the fight was about.
3. Right leg, just below my knee – a mess of a scar that thankfully only shows up when I tan from a motorbike accident that I was in on my birthday in 1985 with my dear friend Sophie. I was the passenger and alcohol was involved.
4. Center of my forehead – a quarter inch horizontal scar from a pea-sized calcium deposit I had removed.
5. Right heel – a three incher from a “pump bump” (heel spur) I had removed in college. What woman doesn’t want to wear heels from time to time?
6. Right breast – a half inch long reminder that a lump I found could have been a lot worse.
I have other scars too, the ones that were self inflicted; ear ring holes (at one point I had four, now only two remain) and three very meaningful tattoos that I don’t regret getting even for one second.
And then there are the scars you can’t see, the ones on my heart made by the losses in my life. The ones full of memories and love and that will never fade away.
This post is for Mama Kat’s Writer’s Workshop: Prompt 1.) Scarred. 
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It's the scars that you don't see that always seem to hurt the most!
My mom had surgery on her knee and to this day will not let anyone touch it!
I have quite a few scars, from surgery and injuries. Some are very bad. But in time, I've all but forgotten about them. Unless someone mentions them, I don't even think of them.
But the ones you can't see, those are the ones I can't forget.
You walked me through a few of my own scars (and those of my loved ones) with your post. I think I need to read Little Bee and share the scar view with my daughter. As for those that don't show … yes.
Great post – I shared a pic from my childhood in my post today like you did! Those old pictures are so evocative aren't they? Take care!
Little Bee sounds like an excellent piece. And your post, was, too!
Great post! You are so right, we all do carry around those scars we can't see as well as those we do see. Stopping by from MamaKat's!
Scars should be thought of as beautiful. It's a shame our culture generally doesn't think so.
Visiting from Mama Kat's
Great post. Our scars (visible and invisible) tell our life story….
I LOVE your Little Bee quote!
Scars do show we survived…you found a way to say it so much more eloquently than I…
I love the quote at the top.
It's funny how the scars we don't see usually have the biggest impact on us. Glad you shared your stories..
My 20 year old daughter had a tumor removed from her pelvis last year, thankfully benign. She has a huge scar and is bummed that people can't see it. I suppose it's a badge of honor to her. Great post!
What a great quote! Nice details about your scars. Crazy that we all have them.
I have a scar above my eye that I got when I fell down a flight of stairs when I was a toddler. It bothered me so much as a teenager, but now I see it as a part of who I am.
The scars that you can't see have also defined me. They have shaped me into who I am today.
Those scars speak volumes about what I hold dear and how I live my life.
Without them, I would be someone else, I'm sure of it.
I think if we could actually SEE the scars we carry around on the inside, people would be a lot nicer to each other.
I like that way of looking at scars, as a story of our lives. Thanks for sharing. Stopping by from Mama Kat's.
That quote from Little Bee was perfect for your post. Love that book.
I have a couple of visible scars, and many of the ones on the inside that no one sees, but I feel the pain of often.
I LOVE your blog. I just discovered it today. Its very moving.
How is this the first time I have been here? Your blog and your writing are amazing. The quote was a perfect fit. Amazing how our scars, inside and out, are the building blocks to who we are.
Oh the teenage angst!! I know it well…never thought to hit a mirror, but hey…that'll show him! 😉
Oh that's sweet. I'm embarrassed to say that I didn't know about just about all of these scars! Geesh! I'm trying to think about what scars I have and what they are from and I don't have many.. All I can think of is just one on my left shoulder blade from leaning against a hot lamp. Yep, that's it.. strange….