The stories usually begin with, "Well, son, when I was a kid..." which then lead to a mini show & tell of battle wounds and scars. Stories of how it was the bikes fault or why the road did indeed meet to greet us. Stories of broken hearts, broken bones and trauma that left wounds of painfully intense moments. This happens often when my Dad and his brothers are all in the same room!
I was about seven years old when my knees met crushed gravel just a few yards away from our driveway. In our home, we had to have a pretty severe wound to be seen by the doctor as both parents worked in the hospital and had proper training for these accidents. I managed to have a deep enough cut that required stitches and to this day have a scar on my knee.
A few years later, my little brother was pulling me in the wagon at our neighbors when he tipped me over allowing my front tooth to make perfect connection with the corner of the sidewalk chipping the pearling white. I've had to deal with this crazy tooth multiple times as the crown has chipped or was in need of replacement.
Or how about when I was sleep deprived just a couple weeks after delivering our firstborn baby girl. My mom and I were going to run a few errands together after she, minutes earlier, reminded me of her car parked directly behind me. No sleep and a change of hormones turned into an insurance claim as I took the headlight out of moms car. A dent in my ego with accomplished errands was the result of this avoidable situation.
These are the unforgettable moments that have left impressionable scars both physically and emotionally. As I was cruising along mile six during the Deception Pass Half Marathon, I took my very first misstep landing me in a mess of stinging nettles resting on a twisted pile of tree roots. Every frequent trail runner has tripped once during a run or stumbled enough to tell a story later. This one knocked the breath out of me so much that I even sat out a few miles giving my leg time to attempt a stretch and regain my sturdy feet to finish the race. Days later the bump from swelling has gone down almost all the way, but the color is something that is unforgettable for those that sneak a peak.
A right of passage to every trail runner.
A right of passage to all kids learning to ride a bike.
In life, we go through seasons of mishaps and bruises. Many leaving behind battle wounds not compliant to revisit or willing to take the steps necessary to properly heal. Some have a good story for later and others are in process of journaling the battle for another day. Either way, whether as a child or adult, we go through trials that leave a mark which ultimately become a right of passage to a better you.
We learn from what we did wrong and avoid whatever pain we experienced so it doesn't happen again.
It is to our benefit to learn and stretch our character in these times...at least it should be, right? I know that my feet will be a bit more cautious in overgrown, damp areas when running on trails. I learned as a kid to have a little more caution when riding in gravel. When friends hurled bullets at me with words or through their actions, I questioned myself to see if my words and actions were hurting those around me. Emotional wounds heal much slower than any physical scar or wound.
My marriage went through emotional hell leaving many consequences years later. My heart was torn and over years of spiritual therapy became new again.
An avoidable period of time that ultimately made me stronger and able to endure much more then I want to admit to.
No one wants to see their child in pain, a marriage fall apart or for a friend to biff it good in the forest. No one wants to fail as it often times shows signs of weakness and defeat. During eight years of chemotherapy treatments, rarely have I seen my sister weak in spirit. She has willed herself to smile and continue to fight her physical battle with cancer. Watching my dad endure dressing changes to his second degree burns as he winced in pain, was not to bring him more pain, but to properly start the healing process. Seeing Charlie overcome his fear of dogs has gained him some man-hood after a terrifying dog bite left him hating all furry creatures.
These have all been moments in lives where character was tested, stretched and in the end, strengthened due to the power to overcome.
A right of passage to wear the scar proudly.
A right of passage to testify to the power of God who heals, protects and restores all wounds; physical and emotional.
So do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord or of me his prisoner. Rather, join with me in suffering for the gospel, by the power of God.
2 Timothy 1:8
