Artifacts tattooed naturally: stretch marks, scars.
Backstory
Inspired by John Green's novel, The Fault in Our Stars: "Almost everyone is obsessed with leaving a mark upon the world... The marks human leave are too often scars... You don't get to choose if you get hurt in this world... but you do have some say in who hurts you."I'm not sure I agree with these statements, but they got me thinking about scars. Often scars are seen as a bad thing -- as damage that will never fully heal -- but scars are also marks of experience.
I have scars on my forearms and legs from the natural events of childhood -- falling off a bike, for example -- and these are artifacts of maturation.
I have stretch marks from my expanding belly when I was pregnant and from swollen breasts that fed my infant children. These scars are artifacts of motherhood.
And I have loved and lost. There are metaphorical scars of heartache. But they are also artifacts. They are signs that I have given to someone, that I've been given something rare and precious... something that was hard to let go of. A love that left a permanent mark. These are scars of knowledge.
by lillybrook in Six-Word Memoirs on Love & Heartbreak on Jan 19, 2013 | 
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Comments
accidentaltourist says,
You say true.jene2008 says,
Wow. Really got my mind rolling. Good memoir.lillybrook says,
Still thinking about this myself. By my definition "scars" and "hurt" may or may not be synonyms. The scars I carry from my children, for example, are mementos of the greatest love I have ever felt in life. Granted, there was some pain that got the children here, some stretching that created the scars, but it was never about hurt and always about love. In every instance, actually, some form of love played a part in the scar. I'm not sure what that means yet, or if it is true of all scars.catsmeow says,
Thoughtful backstory. Thanks.canadafreeze says,
Great backstory - thought provoking, for sure ...lillybrook says,
In the context of the novel, the words rang true -- I think -- but I still am not sure I believe they are true outside of fiction. They certainly made me ponder, though.DynamicDbytheC says,
I have a huge scar from cancer surgery. I am proud of it. It is a mark of life.lillybrook says,
DDC - that's exactly it. Scars are marks of life. An unblemished body (or soul) hasn't experienced.Larry_D._Smith says,
Memoir of the Day from "Love & Heartbreak" section for this lovely and heartbreaking Valentine's week.BanjoDan says,
Thanks for sharing your memoir and experiences!jl333 says,
You nailed it girl! Very MOTD worthyBevvie says,
kudos on MOTD!canadafreeze says,
Beautifully expressed. Congratulations:-)lillybrook says,
Thank you! It was quite a surprise to log on this morning and see this memoir -- I have enjoyed the conversation and hope we can continue it.P.Laudato says,
Very nice!JAD says,
lillybrook, going over all my scars. Remembering. Great memoir!three-monkeys says,
Love this memoir and the articulate backstory. Well done!Dhani says,
ThanX! You inspired me to write: 'SCARS are survival MEMOIR-ies: it hurt.'Dragonflower says,
This is such a perfect Valentine week memoir. My scars are mostly on my soul and through the telling of my stories, I have begun to heal from past wounds. I have all of you to thank for that. In Clarissa Estes' book, Women who Run With the Wolves, there is a whole chapter on scars. She talks about how telling your stories to the right listeners is vital to help repair the damage. By telling our stories, she says "We can grieve hard, and come out of it tear stained, rather than shame-stained...filled with new life."Lillybrook, thank you always for your thoughtful and insightful memoirs and backstories. Congratulations on the Memoir of the day.
wackjob says,
beautiful tatLevel1 says,
These are the things that make up our personal life maps. Kudos on the feature :-)lillybrook says,
Dhani - glad you felt inspired! And, yes, Level 1 - I am a big believer in life maps.ShellDeFelice says,
I thought about this off and on today...the mark we leave on other people. It will be another reminder that I have a responsibility to bring peace and joy with me wherever I go. If I have an impact, I would prefer that it be left as a glittery tattoo than remain as an unsightly scar. On that same note, when I have a less than loving encounter with others and feel "slimed" or left with an energy that might scar, I am going to think of it as a temporary tattoo, like the ones you by with two quarters in the vending machines. It will either scrub off or wear off in time.Thank you Lillyb...your insight is always warm and inspiring.
MO_Thoughts2 says,
This is good, very good !KharisJo says,
love this Lil, congrats on MOTD :)oopsalittle says,
Looking at my scars in a new lightCongrats on MOTD!
TheAngstyPoet says,
Congrats on MOTD!!!