They say time mends all things, that time heals all wounds, that all you need is time. That is true but they never said anything about the scars that will be left. Through my past with the experiences that left their mark on my world, I may have incured more scars than a war-torn veteran that went through various world wars, the vietman crisis, the war in the gulf, and so on. Life has been my battlefield, my heart the armory, love the only weapon and those who I cared for the only enemies.

For the short time that I have shared in the grace of the Lord, those 30 years which you call my life has left my mind shattered, my body bleeding, and my feelings buried into the ground, Yet, I remain standing on my own. It has taught me how to be resilient to the forces that try to move me from where I stand. It has taught me the meaning of surviving alone, not to depend on others for help. It has taught me that happiness doesn't last and pain always comes back. It has taught me the lessons that made me who I am.

My heart has been the source of my strength, belief, and confidence which has fuled my passion for life. When the time of weakness sets in, the mind has always been easy to rationalize, or in simpler terms, to point the finger to ease the guilt brewing inside of me. It has been my heart that guides me to face my guilt and not to shy away like a beaten foe. It makes me believe that I can surpass any trial and solve any problem that continualy pours down like a raging falls. It makes me look back at myself, showing me that I am worth more than this.

I am standing today stronger and a little bit more wiser. As a survivor, I won through my battles but I was left with the mark of experience, the reminder of pain, the keepsake of my enemies. I am scarred with experinces that has made me who I am. The same scars that make others think twice or leave me be. I am who I have become.