Thorns and Scars

I have a thorn in my foot. I know it can’t be big. It is from the bushes in my front yard. The ones that we have been talking about pulling out for years. They line the sidewalk to our front door. Five of them that came with the house. They are  the ones my kids and their friends trip over, run into, collide into and try to avoid.

I have a thorn in my foot. It has only been there a couple days. Every step I take hurts. I wash my foot and sit down with a stick pin. I try first to push it out with my fingers. The skin has already healed over it. I use the stick pin and start to dig into my skin. Just a little prick. Just a little tug. Just a little blood.

I had a thorn in the top of my wrist. I was in college. I had just moved on campus twelve hours from home. I was with a group of girls from the dorm. We were playing an impromptu game of volleyball in the front of the building. I went for the ball, lost my balance and went into a thorn bush. The giggles. The laughter. The fun. The simple time of only worrying about myself.

I had a thorn in my wrist. That thorn was there for days. I could see it want to come out of my skin. I could see the skin heal around it. I pushed on it with my right hand pointer finger and thumb. Squeeze here. Squeeze there. Almost have it out this time. Oh, not quite yet.

I had a thorn in my wrist. One day in class I was messing with the thorn-filled skin. I pushed one more time from either side with my fingers. Out popped the thorn. Straight up in the air. It was so simple yet took a lot of pushing, pulling, pressing and diligence. I now have a scar on my wrist where that thorn was for those days. A reminder of college, volleyball, a thorn bush, laughter, giggles and worrying only about myself.

I had a thorn in my foot. It is no longer there. It decided to come out after a little prying, after a little focus on my part, after using the correct tools.

It won’t leave a scar but this year. This year we will finally pull out those thorn bushes from the front yard. Not for me and the thorns I might get.  But for those I now worry about and the thorns they could get.

I’m attempting to take part in the “The Fifth Annual Slice of Life Story Challenge” through the month of March. The challenge is run by Two Writing Teachers.

6 thoughts on “Thorns and Scars

  1. elsie says:

    Ouch! I hate getting a splinter or thorn that is so difficult to see. Glad it is out and the bushes are coming out too.
    Your words make me think of other types of “thorns” in my life and the scars they have left on me.

  2. Maria says:

    Ahh… the things we enjoyed and took risks with, only to make our children avoid those same risks. Sometimes I wonder if I’m hampering my sons by sheltering them too much..

  3. Ouch is right! I’m so glad you got it out. I had a splinter under my fingernail this fall…new appreciation for all things stuck under skin and nail. Glad the bushes are coming out.

  4. pamelahodges says:

    Jessica, a wonderful slice. No,a painful slice. Interesting how the thorn in your foot reminded you of an experience from college.
    Protecting your children, removing the bushes for them. (Do you want any help?)

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