I’m pulling this one out of the vault for what is supposedly “self-injury awareness day.”
Written March 2021, here is the simplest of my poems: Scars Heal
Simple Careless Acts Remain Still,
– SJ
Heavy, Eternal, And Lifeless
Let’s read that again.
Simple
Careless
Acts
Remain
Still,
Heavy,
Eternal,
And
Lifeless.
Scars are just that, right? Or at least that’s what I thought during that moment.
My scars are a reminder of how far I have came. My scars may not be pretty, but they aren’t “heavy” anymore; they don’t weigh me down. Is it weird to say that I embrace them now? I can look down at them and smile….I know that may seem odd to some people, but I smile because I’ve been self-injury free for over one year. I smile because I no longer have suicidal thoughts. I smile because I actually want to smile.
My scars may be eternal, but they’re for darn sure not lifeless. They tell a story of survival.
I’ll always admire this poem, though. It is something I wrote during a time in life where I was struggling. It is so lovely to see the growth I have made.
Anyways, today (the first day of March each year) is “self-injury awareness day.” Self-injury, aka self-harm, comes in many forms/fashions: punching/scratching/hitting oneself, intentional bruises, misusing alcohol/drugs, pulling out hair/eyelashes/eyebrows, cutting/burning skin, etc. If you or a loved one are struggling, please reach out. I’ve attached a few resources below.
RESOURCES FOR YOU OR A LOVED ONE:
Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: Call or text 988
National Alliance on Mental Health: Call or text the NAMI Helpline at 800-950-6264
SJ Talks 