Most of us have some sort of birthmark. They are nature’s little reminder of our individuality. Birthmarks range from negligible smudges of melanin to large, embarrassing blotches. Some birthmarks remain mostly hidden beneath clothing, while others are visible, even prominent. Birthmarks are the hands dealt us. They come with the skin we’re in and nothing will change them. Large, small or disfiguring, we must find a way to come to terms with our birthmarks.
Scars, on the other hand, are acquired over time. They are the accumulated record of our accidents, the visible results of life’s little surprises that we failed to duck. Scars tell the tale of our experiences—our victories, defeats and humiliations. Scars are sometimes invisible, but no less life-altering. And while scar tissue is usually toughened, occasionally it is left more vulnerable and hypersensitive than before. We must decide how to carry our scars, how to wear them, own them and protect them when need be. Scars are a lesson in coping with vicissitude.
Our only true agency lies in our tattoos. Tattoos are always our selection, sometimes our own design. We choose the image, based on whatever meaning we instill in it. We choose the colors, the size, the location on our body. We control who will see it and when. Tattoos are permanent life marks we undertake as our own, willingly and with intention. Our tattoos tell who we think we are, how we see ourselves, what fates shaped us, and what dreams inspire us.
Taken as a whole, our birthmarks, scars and tattoos offer more than an identification of the physical body. They create a three-dimensional image of one’s entire life—its beginnings, experiences and actions. In a very real sense, our skins wear our souls.