Your Scars Don’t Have to Define You

Now and then I come across something that makes me stop reading and simply think.

In today’s world, that’s becoming increasingly rare.

Much of what passes for news or commentary is little more than recycled opinions, outrage, or clickbait designed to grab attention for a few moments before being forgotten. But occasionally I read someone whose words reveal that they’ve wrestled with ideas, questioned assumptions, and thought deeply about the human condition.

One of those writers is Camille Paglia.

Now, I don’t always agree with her. There are times when I strongly disagree with some of her conclusions. Yet I respect the fact that she challenges people to think rather than simply react. She has a way of saying things that force you to examine your own assumptions.

One quote of hers recently caught my attention because of how well it applies to recovering from the trauma of an affair.

She wrote:

“We cannot have a world where everyone is a victim. ‘I’m this way because my father made me this way. I’m this way because my husband made me this way.’ Yes, we are indeed formed by traumas that happen to us. But then you must take charge, you must take over, you are responsible.”