Scars...what are they? Scars are evidence that someone or something once caused an injury to a certain area which resulted in a wound that eventually healed. They are the result of a major or minor trauma. From an old battle scar to a previously painful paper cut, physical scars are real. But...what about the scars that eyes cannot see, cocoa butter cannot fade and a laser cannot remove? Truth is, we all have them; deeply hidden scars that are the evidence of past hurts. Some wounds never healed properly and caused more damage later on in the same area of the scar. It's called scar tissue which eventually will have to be surgically removed or it will cause an imperfection to the surface of the skin or internal damage. Yes...more pain! Have you ever heard the expression "that was the straw that broke the camel's back"? Let me break that down for you. If a lake is frozen over and a hammer continues to hit the lake's surface at the same place, it will eventually break. Okay...so...if you continue to experience the same type of hurt in the same area of your life, eventually you're going to break. The thing about life that we all must understand is that we all have wounds that eventually heal but whether seen on the surface or not, we all have scars. I wanted to start this book by introducing myself. Hello, my name is Latrese. I'm FLAWED but not ashamed & I COME WITH SCARS! A few years ago, there was a very popular television show that featured on primetime television in which people with issues with hoarding would receive help with cleaning up and out the clutter in their homes. I would watch the show as relatives, friends, neighbors, etc. would offer their opinions about what happened to their loved one that caused them to go "downhill". As the video cameras peruse the house, inside and out, the viewers are able to see the total disorganization, disarray, and dysfunction; some hazardous materials, dirty piles of clothing, food, newspapers, toys, cars, numerous animals, etc.; just a "bunch of junk"! Some of the people, labeled as "Hoarders", were faced with some serious risks. Many were at risk of losing their homes, others at risk of losing custody of their children, some were at risk of losing relationships with their family members, significant others, friends, etc. and all of them jeopardized their health. One might think, "That person is crazy. There must be something psychologically wrong with them. Don't they care about their health? Don't they care about their relationships? Don't they care about their children?" TRUTH is, if some of us would take a realistic look into our emotional mirrors, our hearts look just like their homes. The thing that struck me as interesting is how the show would bring in a clean-up crew and a psychologist/counselor to assist the "Hoarder" with cleaning up the mess; however, the "Hoarder" was allowed to mark (by placing an "X" on various objects) what stayed and what would go. That action alone reinforced my belief that at the end of the day, we can have a million people in our lives and in our corners but it is strictly up to us to determine who or what stays in our hearts and who or what goes. My hope for you is that after reading this book, you will choose to live free.