You can see it, too

"You look much better, but maybe it's just the colorful earrings. Last week I thought you were slipping into a clinical depression. What's the chance you're going to hurt yourself this week?"

"Slim to none. Sure, I've thought about it in my darkest moments, but I have a secret weapon. See this scar? This scar tells me stories. It speaks to me even through my deepest, darkest moments. It can cut through any depressive thoughts. All I have to do is look.

It's just 2 inches long, thicker on one side, with a few spokes evenly placed. It's deep white on pink, lines of blue underscoring it's perfectly parallel placement to palmistry lines. It's quiet, silent, but with a booming, concussive meaning.

All I have to do is remember it's there and take a deep, unbreaking look. I can't let myself look away and forget for any instant just what this line means. This simple spot on my body which means so much. This little section of arm lacking feeling, holding emotion.

So all I have to do is take one good look. One moment to force myself to concentrate on the thick, straight line to know that no, I'm not going to hurt myself this week, or any."