Memory.... it's a cruel, cruel thing.

Life is funny....

The way that we fall... The wounds we receive along the way...
And how they seem so terrible at the time, but are soon forgotten as time passes us by.

Then it's funny how random little things make us remember them.

I was washing my face tonight and as I was looking in the mirror, I noticed this scar at the top of my forehead, a scar that I've forgotten about for so many years. And suddenly I was replaying the memory in my head- I was in elementary and I was playing outside with my friends at the courtyard at our church. This girl was pulling me in a wheelbarrow and she was running really fast. But suddenly, for some reason, she decided to let go of the handle and it swung back and hit me right in the head. I remember seeing my mom walk outside to pick me up right as this was happening, and I remember being excited to see her, but in an instant, all my joy was replaced with fear and horror as blood gushed down my head.

What a vivid memory. And yet I had forgotten about this moment for 5, 6, 7 years....

That, of course, is an example of a physical wound, but so many times we receive deep emotional pain that scars us for years. And as time goes by, we heal. But its strange how you could have moved on from a past relationship or something along those lines, but then you run into the guy somewhere, or you see a movie with a guy that looks a lot like him, and suddenly you remember the pain like it happened just yesterday.

Memories are kind of a cruel thing sometimes. As much as you want to forget certain things, you just never will. And while there are some memories that are wonderful and full of joy, memories that we would all love to hold onto forever, there are also some very dark, painful memories that never go away.

And as I sit here typing this, I'm asking myself what you might be wondering as well, "What are you getting at?" Haha, you know.... I'm not quite sure. This is all just a thought that popped into my head twenty minutes ago when I saw that scar on my head.

But, you know, the more I think about, the more I am thankful for the incredible gift of memory. Even though it often brings a recollection of pain, it also brings deep joy and peace and love, and it brings insight, which is perhaps the greatest quality. It teaches us powerful lessons and helps us grow..... pretty sweet if you ask me.