If you are engaging with life, meaning going outside your front door to new places and talking to people outside your normal friends and family circles, you are going to have your fair share of bad times. You are going to feel things inside that you may not enjoy and experience the negative feelings of others that may upset you. That is life. But strip everything back to the person you were designed to be, the primitive you, and you start to see why this is a good thing.
When humans formed groups, for some it made sense to stay huddled inside the camp to feel safe, but these were the most vulnerable. They learned no skills for fighting off any dangers that threatened them. They relied on the warriors, those who were brave enough to wander outside the camp, learning to navigate the safe passages through the land, those who came into regular contact with all the dangers that existed and risked all in doing so. Some never came back. But those that did, brought back knowledge and wisdom. They used this to protect those without.
Every risk, every bruise, every spear we endure and survive makes us something more than we were, be that mentally, physically or intellectually. We gain perspective. We gain life skills that enable us to be safer the next time we venture outside the camp. The real risk is when we start to see our scars as negatives; as injuries that have compounded to make us weaker. If that is you, please stop.
A scar, any scar, is a medal, a badge of honour. You engaged with life, you went outside, you fought in a battle, and you won. If you are reading this, you won.
Use your knowledge and wisdom to help and protect those without those scars. They are far more vulnerable than you.
