A few weeks ago, I was sitting on some steps outside my daughter’s college dorm as I was waiting for her to come down as we were finishing her first-year move out. I noticed the patterns of bricks on the path in front of me and how they looked a bit maze-like and then also looked at the “maze” on my arm. I was specifically drawn to a few parts on the top edge that were not yet fully healed from a few weeks ago. While much of the rest of the tattoo was smooth and healed, these parts were taking longer. They didn’t hurt nor did they itch but I have to say that I was so tempted to just pick at the scars. I found myself keeping running my finger over the point at what would be 12:00 in this photo. I don’t know if maybe the scar was a bit deeper or there was something different about that part of my arm, but it was just taking longer.
As I sat there and continued to feel this difference, I got thinking about other marks and other healing. I looked a bit further up my arm to see an x-shaped scar at the base of my thumb that from when I cut it on broken window glass six or so years ago. There’s no loss of functionality but the scar is there and always will be. I also saw the smaller scar from the same incident on the side of my wrist. There’s a sense for me that these represent the the longer-term wounds of the place where the accident took place and I often find myself rubbing the x-shaped scar with my index finger
We remember the marks that represent significant moments in our lives. Some are painful moments that leave the scars that are never fully the same. Some are blessed moments that mark us and remind us of what took place. And some are a combination of the two. The labyrinth on my arm is a combination. It is there out of loss and grief but also gratitude for a wonderful friend and hope of resurrection and new life. And I am grateful for the one who retained the marks of his wounds even after the resurrection - those scars that remained that give us hope.
Thanks, Ed, for this thought-provoking piece.