When we were young, we fell down and scraped our knees. Many times, we were left with scars. When we were older, we learned that not all scars are visible. We learned that, like physical scars, some take more time to fade than others. And like physical scars, some may never fully go away.

I used to resent my scars. Because, like many others, I have many. I have some you can see and some you cannot. Some came from having fun, running around on the playground as a kid while others came from points in my life where everything seemed to be hopeless. I thought they were ugly, but worst of all, I thought they were a sign of how weak I was – how utterly flawed and damaged.

But I had forgotten something important about scars. Because contrary to what I had convinced myself, scars are not wounds...They are marks left after our wounds have been healed. My scars are not a sign of weakness – they never were. Instead, they are a sign of strength. My scars serve as testimonies to the many obstacles and troubles that I have not only faced, but overcome.

My scars remind me every day that I am strong and that I am brave. And nobody can tell me otherwise. They remind me of all the times I pulled through despite feeling as though I couldn't. And they remind me of the battles that I know everybody out there faces. Because I am not alone in this daily struggle, no matter how much it sometimes feels like I am.

My scars teach me empathy for others’ situations as well as perspective for my own. They teach me that no matter what else comes my way, I will be okay. They teach me that most everything is beatable. And though many of my scars will never fade and some days I will resent them, they have taught me a lot.

So rather than feel shame for the scars I wear each day, I feel pride. I feel pride for the times when life tried to knock me down and I said no. I feel pride for the moments when I chose hope over worry.

And so I will continue traveling this rather bumpy road to happiness, but you see, my scars are no longer just scars — they are battle wounds.

And I am a survivor.