(In) Visible Memories

When I was little, I had chicken pox. And because I was little (and itchy), I scratched a tiny hole into the bridge between my eyes. From then on, I had a scar. When I was a bit older, I fell a bit and had a pretty nice look scuff on my knee. That left a faint, but present scar.

Then in high school I tried hurdles, got all caught up and fell. In that one act, I sprained an ankle, ripped open another knee and was substantially bleeding out of my elbow. Healed (but cankle-like), scar, scar.

The next year, I got an elbow to the face during a soccer game and needed stitches in my cheek. Facial scar.

Then I took a mirror to the leg. Very long scar.

While some of those memories (okay, well all of them), I don't want to remember, the scars are still sort of part of who I am. Except for the fact that all of them minus the last one are essentially gone.

Just like my shoes from Firefly. They were disgusting. There were five large spots on the shoes from whatever sort of substance that got on them, and it was super noticeable.

So I eventually (and when I say eventually, I mean it took about six months) washed them in the washing machine. They came out almost brand new.

And then I had a weird pang of nostalgia. While the stains were gross and unsightly, it was conversation starter. Not a great one, admittedly, but when I looked down, it was also a personal reminder of the bliss that was Firefly.

Then, as I was carrying my laundry upstairs (with my new, clean shoes of course), I wondered if that sentiment also applied to the scars that have since faded from my body, and the one I am religiously putting mederma on to get to (hopefully) fade. They were all connected to memories, and while getting my cheek stitched shut is not a fun memory, the general memory of playing soccer for my entire life surely is.

But then I made it to the top of the stairs and realized that I will always have my talking points, even without the visible marks. I'll just have to start every conversation with, "Hey did you hear I went to Firefly" or "Hey did you hear about the mirror incident?"

Or maybe I'll just tell everyone to read my blog instead.