People are always looking for ways to reduce scarring. From specialty products like Mederma to everyday items like petroleum jelly and Aloe Vera, no one wants to stare at an unsightly flaw on their skin.

Today I was made to think about how our life’s journey is the skin of our lives, and how flaws in our judgment, personality and desires can leave scars that are unsightly to our souls and equally impacting to the lives of others. Lord knows the path I chose in my not-so-distant past lead me down a turbulent and troublesome journey; a journey that, at the time, seemed to leave a scar that no amount of Mederma or Aloe could ever make better.

Little did I know the secret to healing the skinned knees and bruised egos of a painful path is simply time. Time for the lessons learned to set in. Time for the pains to subside and the sun to break through the clouds. Time for all the thoughts to make sense and the clarity – the real vision of what is true and what was perceived – to finally come into focus and have it all make sense. Time truly does heal all wounds.

In one of those quirky twists of fate, as I was driving home reflecting on the very thing that got this whole thought process rolling, I turned on the radio in my truck and playing was ‘Landslide’ by Fleetwood Mac. Ironically, I wrote about this song back in March of 2005. I thought at that time I had turned a corner in my life and had overcome the weight that had been keeping me down. I look back on that entry knowing it was a mere moment of strength in tempest that lasted well beyond the day I wrote down those thoughts.

And thinking of that moment made me realize one very important thing. As I’ve allowed time to pass and fill the space between that entry and today, I see now that I no longer look back as I once used to. My present day thoughts are not focused on the road that brought me here, but rather on the road that lies ahead. I think about being engaged and sharing my life with the love of my life. I think about summer fun with my kids and the many adventures yet to be experienced with my friends. My thoughts are positive with the ideas of what will happen and not deadened by the memories of what did happen.

I can look in the mirror and see my skin, tanned from the sun, a sign that I am so blessed to be living my life in a new and wonderful light. Yes, there are blemishes and marks of tumbles taken in the past. The scars will forever be there, serving as a reminder of what happened once so very long ago. Still, it’s not the first thing I see. It’s not the only thing I see. In fact, the scars are no longer visible unless I am specifically looking for them, and I am glad I have not had a reason to look for them in so long now.