let me see your scars ...

there are two lines in the song that i mentioned yesterday which say -

Would you like a little company? ...
Are you mad at me? -- let it show ...

it takes a lot to let others in when something is wrong - to let them see you at your worst. it’s especially hard when they’ve done something to hurt you, because that means admitting they have the power to hurt you.

in the movie ‘pay it forward', which i watched a couple weeks ago, the teacher has a hard enough time letting people in because of the obvious scars that cover his face. when the little boy asks what happened, the teacher automatically assumes that the boy is making fun of him, unable to believe that he is genuinely interested and concerned. when the teacher starts getting involved with the boys mother, he has an even harder time letting her get close.

she says, “whatever happened to you, you look good to me.”

“you look good to me, too. i’ve just never been here before.”

“okay, so you’re scared. i’m scared, too. but i want that. i want that with you.”

“you don’t see me. my life is familiar. my life is manageable. as long as i have that, i’m okay. if i don’t have that, i’m lost.”

“is that what you want?”

“yes!”

“i don’t believe you.”

“it’s not about you.”

“yes it is. you’ve been offered something here, but you don’t want it. i can’t reject you, you’re too quick for me.”

as it turns out, not only his face, but also almost his entire body is covered with scars, and he is terrified that they will scare her away. it is easier to create a safe, orderly life for himself than to open himself up to the pain of rejection. but there is something so powerful about letting someone see and touch your scars. and not just the obvious scars that everyone can see, but also the deep, painful ones that can only be seen in your darkest, most vulnerable moments.

like the mother says, it’s scary to open yourself up to someone else. it’s scary to give someone the power to hurt you. but it’s better to be scared with another person than to stay protected and all alone.

we’ve all got junk. we’ve all got scars. it’s so hard to admit it. but when you’re willing to let the light of someone else's love shine on the places that you’ve tried to keep hidden, it’s actually not repulsive but incredibly beautiful and inspiring.

don’t be afraid to show your scars. don’t be afraid to admit that you’ve been hurt. don’t sacrifice being seen for who you really are.