Valentine’s Day is over, and I suppose that’s just as well because when I set out to share with you some writing on love, and an unexpected theme emerged: scars.

Not usually what we all think of when we think of February 14th.

Scars interest me in that there’s a story behind each one. They represent both frailty and the body’s incredible ability to heal. Some remind us of both a physical trauma and an emotional journey. And some scars are purely emotional.

When the initial injury occurs and we’re bleeding physically or emotionally, we rely on the care of those around us. Love that has been quietly sustaining our normal, daily lives, steps forward to carry us. We realize how deep and strong it really is, and we come away with a greater appreciation for it. Accepting that kind of love can heal emotional scars and can help us to love ourselves, regardless of what physical damage a scar may have left.

The kind of love I’m talking about is something that goes much further than what we celebrate on Valentine’s Day. Yes, this kind of love can be practiced in romantic relationships, but it also exists between friends, family, and us and our Savior. All of these loves can conquer scars. Jesus’s love for us, best of all.

So, in my writing and in my life, it seems to me that scars and love are tied together. Love conquers scars, and scars reveal love.

I hope you’ll enjoy the excerpt and poem below, two separate pieces, one fictional and one auto-biographical. I hope you come away from this post with a deeper appreciation for the scar-conquering love in your life.

To read the full story, use the form on the right to sign up for my email list. You can download the story from the final confirmation email.

A fall, a broken bone, surgery,