We All Have Scars
Some are just more visible than others.
Today is a big day for me....it’s my ‘25th’ birthday.
On November 12, 1995 I was in a head-on collision with a drunk driver and almost died.
So while I lived for 18 years before the accident, I came to life on this date 25 years ago. It was the birth of the new me. The me that challenges the status quo and grabs life by the horns.
This event changed the trajectory of my life and what I didn’t know at the time, is that the greatest misfortune of my life would turn out to be the greatest gift. It‘s a day I’ve celebrated for years, not because of what happened, but because of who I’ve become.
It taught me to enjoy the journey, to not wait for someday, to not live with regret and to forge my own path. It showed me that anything can create a positive ripple if we let it.
Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t always feel this way. The first two years were rough to say the least, but I have an amazing family that was there for me every step of the way, a surgeon and family doctor who cared about my mental health and friends who got my sorry ass out of the house when the boredom set in.
The last photos of my scars were taken by my mom as we prepared for a lawsuit. They were taken to capture the ugliness and trauma. This year I wanted to capture their beauty and strength, and last week I had the most magical photoshoot with the talented Darius Bashar.
These photos are for my future grandchildren. I want them to see that they can do anything, and I want them to see their grandma as a bad-ass. They are part of a powerful legacy I will leave behind.
What would I tell the younger me in this photo?
I love you. You are courageous and strong and your pig-headedness will serve you well. I love that you won’t let anyone tell you you can’t do something - like walk properly or ski. (ps. I do both pretty damn well)
I know you are suffering...you have so many questions and anger. You can’t see it now, because you’re in it, but you are going to have the most amazing life. Yes, this is a defining time in your life, but it doesn’t define you.
You are going to do amazing things… live abroad, meet the love of your life, have a beautiful family, have great adventures, build a successful business and impact thousands of lives.
I’ve learned so many things from this experience and the many that followed and I want to leave you with this…
Living – truly living – means collecting scars along the way. It’s not about our scars defining us – it’s what the scars teach us and how we can use our scars to teach others. There is so much possibility in the ripple effect we can create.
What have your scars (visible and invisible) taught you about yourself and what is the ripple effect you are creating?
This is a deeply personal post, and I thank you for allowing me to share this with you and for being on this crazy journey with me!
UPDATE: My story was featured on Global news Friday Novemver 13th, 2020. Here is the link if you’d like to watch the video.
