Festering Wounds

I remember as a kid the many times when I went out to play and skinned a knee or elbow and ran home to have my mom make it better. Back then we spent long summer days riding our bicycles, exploring creek beds, fishing and swimming at the local lake or pool. It never failed then that we were prone to getting hurt once in a while as life is an adventure fraught with unforeseen perils. As a Boy Scout we were taught to ‘Be Prepared” for anything by first being aware that anything can happen. Mom knew this by instinct and always kept a plentiful supply of bandages and a bottle of mercurochrome handy just in case. The worst part was having the wound scrubbed out with soap and water while it was explained that if it got infected we could be in for a whole lot more like lock jaw or tetanus. Just the sound of them seemed to make the cleansing procedure a little easier to endure. Relationships can resemble in a similar way the idea of festering wounds, especially when our feelings get hurt, egos bruised or we do not get our need for love and understanding met by those closest to us.

In the dark recesses of our memories, we can all point out a time when someone hurt us with harsh words, an unkind gesture or made us the punch line of a joke. As we go along in life, those typical realities can become far more subtle as they are more likely to occur behind closed doors in the form of rumors or innuendo. False friends can become secret enemies as well as poor habits become a source of pain for the ones we love most. Neglecting a relationship founded on trust and bound by vows can be the most insidious form of festering wounds we can ever experience. The most difficult part can be simply realizing that we have hurt someone, albeit unintentional and then taking the steps necessary to start the healing process. Even though things appear alright on the outside, a closer look reveals the redness that surrounds the scabbed over wound and a gentle touch emits the unhealthy warmth of infection as the fight to remove the unwanted pathogen rages inside the body. Our hearts and minds can be just as vulnerable as our skin when it comes to being hurt emotionally. The most effective way to deal with these situations is to get them out into the open and allow the healing power of sincerity to scrub out the infection of guilt and pain. As they say, sometimes leaving the wound open to the air is the best way to promote healing as opposed to placing a bandage over it right away.

For me, recent events have taught these very lessons. Though painful to accept, I must take responsibility for the harm I have caused and the hidden wounds that have gone untreated. While I cannot heal a scar, I can be a force of healing for the existing hurts that have been scabbed over in more recent times. I have also found that regret can be a motivating factor rather than a point of contention used to block the healing process. As the saying goes; “You cannot un-ring a bell,” but you can silence the echo with effort, compassion and love. My hope is that more people will discover this incredible power of healing that they possess by just being human beings willing to face the reality of festering wounds. Why let them go when all it takes is love. It is the greatest gift from God that when freely given can change the world.