The other day, I went shopping and spoke to a dermatologist. I told her how lately I’d had so many acne scars that were not going away, regardless of how well I treated them. She then reccomended a product for my face, which would exfoliate the skin. I asked her whether the act of exfoliating would agitate the skin, and cause further scarring. She responded by saying, “in order to rid the scarring, you must both exfoliate and treat what remains.”

It was one of those moments of, ‘ohh, duh!’ But it also went beyond that for me.

I’ve seen a lot of wonder in the past year of my life, but it does not mean that I have not seen a lot of loss, and felt much pain. Her words made me realize that it is not only treatment in self-love that reduces and cures the scars of hurt on the heart and soul, but also the act of exfoliating and raising those wounds from the dead, and thus, setting them free. 

I must challenge myself to embrace vulnerability and hurt, in order to effectively heal, and thus, in order to emerge. 

Anna Badrieh