"Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it." - Confucious All she could see were her scars. Painted perfectly upon her chest like a river flowing to her sadness. Scars are proof of pain and pain is proof of sorrow. No sorrow could compare to the sorrow she held deep inside after the mastectomy. Slashes across her chest where her breast used to be. Little lines from the staples that crisscrossed each other and lingered under her arm. She fought the fight of breast cancer and it gave her strength but it also brought loss of self-esteem. She never thought she would face such a tragedy at such a young age. He held her closely. He laid his loyal head upon her chest and found beauty in her scars. They represented the determination to fight this disease and she won. There is something about those scars that gave him a sense of wonder. She had been his saving grace and those scars were her saving grace. They are a prime example of the fire she was burned from and the healing of each burn created a miracle. Disguised under each line from each incision lies a story. Each story tells a tale of triumph. The chemotherapy and radiation just weren’t enough. This disease could have taken her life, and it did not. Instead, it gave her hope for a brand new fresh start with a future of joy, she could carry on with her little family of three. See, everything can hold beauty if you just have faith. All the darkness has light and all the sorrow can be turned into happiness. She felt her scars disguised beautiful marks of a life force energy that gave her the gift of a vigorous confidence. Her courage revealed fortitude as she finally accepted her struggle with death as a pathway to healing. Dedicated to all my friends and family who have faced breast cancer. I am in awe of your strength and courage. May peace be with you on your journey. Beauty In Disguise January 4, 2017