There is a rather long scar running down the center of my chest. It is a reminder of the heart surgery I had two years ago. Amazingly, I remember little of the surgery or the pain involved afterward, or during recovery. It's a reminder, but the negative aspects have faded. Instead, I remember that my life was saved; I remember the excellent care of doctors and nurses, the love of family and friends. I also have several small scars from gall bladder surgery last year. Though much less critical than heart surgery, they are scars nonetheless. They also remind me of how much better I felt when I had recovered.

There are scars on my heart which only I can see--scars left by the loss of my beloved Stinky Wink.  Like the surgery scars, they will always be there. Like the surgery scars, they will heal and become reminders of positive things, not negative. Like the surgery scars, they will remind me that where there was once pain, there is now healing. And that's what scars should be--not reminders of pain, but evidence of healing. I am beginning to remember only the happy times. That doesn't mean there will be no more tears and no more sense of loss. It just means that the tears and sense of loss will be tempered by the beautiful memories of a beautiful heart--a heart that touched mine and left a healing scar when it was gone. I love you Winker, my besses puppo!