On Symbols


I like symbols that mean something.

I wear a necklace that has two charms, one of each of my children's birth signs,  I also have their birth signs tattooed on my stomach.  My children mean the world to me, so it is nice for me to know that I will always have a symbol that reminds me of them.  I believe that if you're going to get a tattoo, it should actually mean something important - whether you share that meaning or not.  

There have been other symbols since the accident that have come to mean something.  There was a Maryland State Trooper, Jackie Kline, that was struck by a car and was horribly injured.  She was in the room next to me at Shock Trauma and then again at Sinai.  I never met Jackie. I did, however, meet some of her family.  I remember her boyfriend's mother.  She gave me a little silver coin with a guardian angel on it.  I have that angel now and often put it in my pocket when I feel like I need a little extra someone to watch over me.  It is comforting.  And, it is nice that someone going through an equally difficult time thought of me.  

I suppose my scars are symbols in their own right.  They won't go away and they definitely mean something. They represent a very challenging time in my life, one that thankfully I am getting through.

Emily has her own scars from our accident.  And I guessing they mean something to her too.  Emily and I both feel that the accident will forever entwine us and I am certainly thankful that I have gotten to know her family and that they have provided us both with such wonderful support.  However, Em and I decided that we needed a positive symbol of the accident and what it has meant. So, we each got a tattoo on our wrist, hers on her more injured right arm and mine on my injured left.  The tattoo was designed by my amazingly talented cousin, Rachel Rickert, and consists of two interlocking triangles surrounding a heart.  The triangle is the delta symbol - as a result of the accident, each of us has seen a lot of change. There are two because there were two of us in the accident. The heart symbolizes that even though we've seen a lot of change, we've also experienced and have been blessed with a lot of love.  

So, forever I will have symbols of my accident, in scars and in a tattoo.  While I will always wish Emily wasn't in the car with me, I am also glad that I have had her to experience this with me.






Comments

  1. UnknownApril 23, 2014 at 2:05 PM

    again Carrie, thank you for sharing. Although the accident hurt you, you have continued to be strong and grown with the experience. Praise to God for you

    ReplyDelete

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