What if the very thing you’ve been trying to hide… is actually the most beautiful part of your story?

This week on the BAWarrior Podcast, I found myself sitting in reflection after a weekend of rest, sunshine, and quiet moments here in Arizona. As spring starts to show up and life begins to feel a little lighter, I couldn’t help but think about something deeper, the parts of ourselves we often try to cover up. The broken pieces. The scars. The moments we wish never happened.

The Beauty in the Cracks

And I asked myself, and now I’m asking you, what if that brokenness isn’t something to fix or hide… but something to honor?

As an above-knee amputee, my brokenness is visible. It’s physical. But what people don’t always see is the emotional journey that comes with it. The uncertainty, the identity shifts, the moments of feeling completely lost. Even though my amputation was a choice after years of surgeries, I still didn’t know what the outcome of my life would look like. I didn’t know who I would become on the other side of that decision.

It felt like my life had been rerouted-like I was on one track, moving forward with a plan, and suddenly everything shifted. A new direction. A new identity. A new path I didn’t ask for.

But here’s what I’ve come to realize: that “mess”… that disruption… that brokenness… it became my canvas.

This week at church, I heard a phrase that stopped me in my tracks: the mess becomes the masterpiece. And I felt that deeply. Because there have been so many moments over the past seven years where I felt like an absolute mess. Not put together. Not polished. Not “figured out.”

But what if we’re not supposed to be?

What if the process; the struggle, the rebuilding, the redefining, is actually where the beauty is created?

So often, society tells us to fix what’s broken. Heal quickly. Move on. Or if we can’t fix it, hide it. Cover it up so no one sees. But I want to challenge that. Because those scars, those cracks, they tell a story. They show where you’ve been, what you’ve survived, and who you’ve become.

 

Honoring my scars, not hiding them

 

And I don’t see mine as something to hide anymore.

Every scar on my body represents a battle I fought and didn’t quit. Every challenge I’ve faced has shaped me into who I am today. I am still here. Still moving. Still growing. And that, to me, is something to be proud of.

Next month, as we move into Limb Loss and Limb Difference Awareness Month, I’ll be sharing more stories, because I believe so strongly in the power of storytelling. Every single person in this community has a story. And while they may look similar on the surface, the strength, the resilience, the warrior spirit behind each one is completely unique.

That’s why I named this podcast BAWarrior. Because I truly believe that’s what we are.

But being a warrior doesn’t mean life is easy. It means we fight. Daily. Sometimes hourly. We rise, even when the waves crash over us and try to pull us under. We find a way forward, even when it feels impossible.

And every one of those battles… every one of those cracks… becomes part of the masterpiece.

There’s a beautiful form of art, Kintsugi- a Japanese art that repairs broken pieces of pottery with gold! It symbolizes resilience, embracing imperfections, and the beauty of a repaired life. The cracks aren’t hidden. They’re highlighted. Honored. And in the end, the piece becomes even more beautiful because of where it was broken.

 

 

That’s us.

We are not less because of what we’ve been through. We are more.

So if you’re sitting here today feeling like a mess—good. That means something is being created. That means you’re in the middle of the process. And masterpieces take time. They aren’t rushed. They’re layered. Built stroke by stroke, day by day.

And here’s something I’ve learned along the way—when we take the focus off ourselves and begin lifting others up, something shifts. There’s healing in that. There’s purpose in that. When you help someone else rise, you rise too.

So this week, I want to give you something practical.

Name your cracks. What is your brokenness? Write it down. Then ask yourself—what meaning have I been giving this? And how can I rewrite that meaning?

And then—use it.

Use your story to help someone else feel less alone. Share it. Speak it. Own it. Because when you do, you’re not just healing yourself—you’re becoming a light for someone else who might be struggling in silence.

Stop covering your cracks.

Start honoring them.

Stand a little taller in your story. Smile when people look your way. Let curiosity open doors for connection. You are not something to hide—you are someone who has overcome.

And if you’re a woman walking this amputee journey and you’re looking for a place to grow, to be seen, and to be supported, I invite you to join our Amped Women virtual chats on Wednesdays. You don’t have to do this alone.

Because here’s the truth—I am still in the mess. Every day isn’t perfect. Every day isn’t easy. But I’m choosing to honor it. I’m choosing to trust that something beautiful is being created.

And I want that for you too.

You are not broken.

You are becoming.

You are a warrior.

And your masterpiece is still being written.

So chin up, rise up, warriors…

And as always,

Be Healthy,

Be Happy,

Be YOU!!!!