A Story about Band-Aid and it Scars

When we were kids, we’re always taught using band-aid to heal a scratch wound. Don’t forget to wash with water and use antiseptics so your scar would free from bacteria. But as we grown up, our scars evolve not only reach foot, knee, or hand, but also the heart. We got confused when our heart get scarred because nobody taught us what to do with that.

A book says that we make decisions based on what we think we know[1]. If there’s sore in a finger, we tend to fix it with band-aid that actually lasts temporarily, even though we know in the end the scar still there. We think we know how to handle the wounds. As if for our (broken) heart, we tend to fix it with temporary things: binge-eating, hustling jobs, alcohol, destructive habits, even hasten to find escape in another person. We keep searching, searching, and wandering for distraction because we’re afraid to letting the scar open, to facing the truth that we’re broken.

Originally, band-aid used for skin’s to get humid so it fasten healing process and when the healing’s done it should be released so the skin can freely breathe. When it comes to (broken) heart, it’s a normal thing to put our own ‘band-aid’ on it: Writing sad poems, thinking happy thoughts, maybe drinking a little bit much wine, going back to that-dating-app nor simply avoid any interaction with others. It’s our coping mechanism for our vulnerable soul and seeking a little comfort from the chaotic scenarios. But as the band-aid that’s not last forever, so does our escapement to those thing that needs to be done. Because when we’re still holding up to those things, we’re never be able to free ourself and moving on to better days. And in the end, the scars will always be there and never be complete until we’re learn to accept it anyway. Sometimes, we need the band-aid to cover our wounds. But eventually, we’ll relinquish it in order to heal ourselves.

Writer: Mario Hartanto

[1] Start With Why- Simon Sinek