: It was November 1998 and my husband and I were in Romania. It had been nine years since the nation had undergone a dramatic and violent revolution. On December 16, 1989 in the city of Timosaoara a series of riots and protests began against dictator Nicolai Ceausescu that soon spread throughout the country. From December 16-22 protestors took to the streets to express their outrage over an austerity program that had resulted in a painfully reduced standard of living for Romanian citizens while the dictator embarked on a series of mega projects including the construction of the biggest palace in the world for he and his family.      Massive protests had taken place in Bucharest, the country’s capital, and as we walked those streets nine years later we saw white crosses marking the places where some of the 1, 104 people died, as well as evidence of rounds of gunfire that hit the surrounding structures.  Â
     Following the shooting in the Parliament buildings in Ottawa there was discussion as to whether or not the bullet holes should be left to tell the story of October 22, 2014 or if repairs should occur to cover over what had taken place. Strong cases could be made for either approach.
     I have a mark under my chin that came as a result of a fall from a fence when I was a little girl. Unless you knew it was there it would go unnoticed. The same could be said of many of the scars we carry. Others meanwhile can’t help but be seen. Regardless, we all have them--we all have scars. The difference is in how we choose to wear them.
     We employ differing philosophies when pondering our scars. Some may intentionally try to hide them while others may be okay with letting us see. Sometimes we work to point out other people’s scars to detract attention from our own, or we work to make our scars visible and then can’t understand why people don’t see them. Some wounds run deep and take a long time to heal. Some may appear to only scratch the surface but the hurt is exposed nonetheless.
     The wounds we experience can originate from a vast array of sources but in the end it doesn’t really matter where they began. Focussing on the origin detracts from the work of healing and moving forward. Fixing the wound on my chin required a hospital visit and some stitches. Casts, tensors or bandages are often employed to heal the wounds that happen to our bones, muscles or flesh, and if we follow medical advice we can anticipate recovering in a matter of days or weeks. But the hurts to our pride, dreams, expectations or relationships can’t be restored in quite the same way. A cast can’t renew the damage to our spirit any more than a bandaid can heal the ache of a broken heart. There are no ointments, drops or quick fixes to speed up those recoveries. It takes effort to develop an attitude of reconciliation and an acceptance of the circumstances we may find ourselves in.
     To attempt to cover the wounds so the world won’t see may mean missing out on the very people who can help in the healing process. Yet allowing the wounds to lead the way makes a statement that all we want to be about is the hurt. We need to find a way to honour our scars without allowing the wounds to be overwhelming.
     Permitting the bullet holes to remain as they were can serve as a reminder of past history that we must work to ensure doesn’t get repeated. Covering up the bullet holes doesn’t take away the reality of what occurred but it allows people to focus on readying themselves for the future. Both allow for a necessary acknowledgement of what was, but also a healthy embrace of what needs to come.
           We all carry wounds--just like those buildings will always carry those bullet holes, whether they are covered over or not. Restoring the construction provides new beginnings while honouring the past, just as renewing the soul respects the scars and provides hope for the future. That’s my outlook.
