Monuments of the Past

Our bodies carry the scares and marks of your lives. They are a walking history of our lives. We decorate and accessories them to express ourselves and to hide ourselves. I have recently decided that it is time to say goodbye to some of my own accessories. I had thought about removing my piercings before I left the states but in the end decided to try and get away with them here in Samoa. Like many things that I thought I would have to change, I held on to these things as they were relics of my past life and gave me a certain comfort. I still paint my nails and wear make up sometimes for the comfort it gives me, even though it is not only unnecessary socially here but also an oddity. I still shave my legs and armpits for the same reason. Maybe at some point in my journey I will come to believe these comforts are unnecessary as well, maybe not. The moment came while I getting ready to shower and realized that one of my piercings was irritated. I thought for a minute and looked at myself hard in the mirror. Yes its time. I need to take them out. Both of my piercings were presents from my older sister, one for my sixteenth birthday and one for my twenty first. I have loved both of them and they will always be good memories attached to them. In the end I realized I didn't need them anymore. Those versions of past selves are with in me and part of me. I don't need monuments to mark them. On this ride you discover many comforts and crutches you must shed. Some people its negativity, self deprecation, sarcasm, a computer, alcohol, cheese, for me this is just another little thing I feel I can do with out. I am ready to face this new adventure bare of marks and accessories. We are bare in so many ways here so it only seems right.