maroon, scarlet, powder pink and silvery peach paths of moments and events, of emotions and numbing silences. these are my gifts unto myself, like each tattoo and it's meaning behind. these are the brands that, not define, but give definition to me. my own personal braille history written out my skin.

when i fel ugly, they are ugly to me. when i am strong, they're signs of strength. when i feel beautiful, they are beauty marks to me.

so when she calls these symbols mutilations, i can only believe that she sees me as one too.