Life

My grandfather was known
to want to show folks his scars.
We laughed at that as kids.
Poking fun as he told his stories.
As I age,
I am realizing that we all should
follow in his footsteps.
We may not have actual battle wounds,
but we all have scars.
Broken hearts.
Battered egos.
Devastating pain.
Fractional defeats.
Anxiety-ridden questions.
These are not things to hide.
These are moments to share.
Your heart is mending.
Your esteem is growing.
You've overcome your
pain and defeat.
You're taking baby steps
each day
toward a new you.
We experience these things
not to limit or deter us,
but to bolster us
and to allow us
to offer, to the next fighter,
a tale of victory.
A champion. You.
Life.