Of scars...

I was thinking last night about the song Scar, (Yes, I caved and bought the CD) mainly reflecting on the (very poignant) line "so that I do remember to never go that far, could you leave me with a scar?" and the lightbulb went *ding*.

Scars come in all shapes and sizes. They appear on faces, bodies or souls, speaking of some old hurts and pains that no longer affect us (aside from the dull ache of phantom pain). The incidents remain branded onto us though, the scars reminding us of the trauma. Little abject lessons carved into us that help us remember to never to get hurt the same way again.

Scars affect people in many ways. Some see scars as a way to help us remember that which came before. Some show them off as markers that set them apart from the rest. Some see scars as a life lived on the wrong side of the tracks. Chicks dig them. (Or so I've been told) So, yes, scars mean many things to many people. But scars remain there as a physical, mental/emotional reminders of what caused the wounds. Cuts and slashes.

Cultural scars are similar to their counterparts and they leave marks on a societal level the same way. The suicide runs of 911 have left scars both on the physical landscape of New York as well as on the psyche of its people. Ground zero is just being rebuilt but like some wounds, there will be scarring. Memorials will stand in the place of once destruction, little reminders to the tune of "lest we forget." And I think it's nice that scars help us remember.

Wounds incapacitate us. The hurt hinders us from action and the pain prevents us from thinking clearly. But scabs seal the wounds. Scars form. Pain fades.

It's the same, whether you've been cut because you've been the victim of a harsh word, or a knife wound, or witnessed an unwarranted attack by an unfair governing body. Wounds heal, yes. And given enough time, scars help ensure that the same hurts never get inflicted on us again.

Perhaps it's time for the blogosphere to start scarring.

"...so that we do remember..."