Our scars have the power to remind us that the past was real. -- Dr. Hannibal Lecter, from the film "Red Dragon" The line above could have been written by Thomas Harris, author of books such as Black Sunday and Silence of the Lambs. Of course, the quote might have been scripted by Ted Tally, the man who wrote the screenplay for the movie Red Dragon. Since I don't have a copy of the book handy to see if the line originated there but I know it was in the film that was based on the novel, I'll give partial credit to both, as well as to Sir Anthony Hopkins, who so memorably played Hannibal Lecter in the movies. Great lines are perceived to be great because they succinctly summarize some true and astute observation of life. I can remember the accident or specific event that caused each of my most significant scars. Over the years, my body has accumulated a number of interesting ones. My mother used to say that if all my scars simultaneously turned back into open wounds, my body would fall apart like a rag doll. I have been stitched up more than my fair share. There was a point in my life where the nurses in the emergency room at St. Joseph's Hospital in Savannah recognized me on sight, I visited them so often. Combine a relatively high threshold for pain with a healthy desire to live life to the fullest, you might acquire a few scars like these yourself. The hard truth is that real world doesn't forgive very many mistakes without giving us a scar as a reminder. Edmund Burke famously said these true words: "Those who don't know history are doomed to … [Read more...]