You're running around with your friend, laughing your head off, when suddenly you trip over a rock and hit the ground. As you pick yourself up, you notice that your knee is bleeding. But while you're trying to figure out where that rock came from, the blood from the cut on your knee is already busy at work creating a scab.

So now you're home, you're cleaned up, and you're not bleeding anymore. But things are still happening on your knee. As the clot starts to get hard and dries out, a scab forms. Its job is to protect the cut by keeping germs and other stuff out and giving the skin cells underneath a chance to heal.

If you look at a scab, it probably just looks like a hard, reddish glob. But under its surface, all kinds of things are going on. The healing process starts. New skin cells are being made to help repair the torn skin. Damaged blood vessels are being fixed. Eventually, a scab falls off and reveals new skin underneath. This usually happens by itself after a week or two. Even though it may be tough not to pick at a scab, try to leave it alone. If you pick or pull at the scab, you can undo the repair and rip your skin again, which means it'll probably take longer to heal. You may even get a scar.

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Funny how sometimes, as soon as a scab forms on top of the wound, it itches so terribly, we cannot help but to scratch and open up the wound. Just when we think we are over the pain, something happens to remind us why we have that scar after all.

Just like the scar on my left elbow. It used to be reddish and hideous. It is a painful reminder of my playfulness, my carelessness. But today when I take a second look at it, it has paled. Even though it might have taken nine years to be so; given another nine years, it probably would be unnoticeable. Just like the scar on my left foot and the blue-black on my right calf.

Who hasn't fallen and gotten hurt before? Who hasn't gone through pain before? It is uncomparable and shouldn't be compared in the first place.

A broken heart is just like a scab. It doesn't get healed instantaneously, but if you give it some time and leave it alone, it will heal. Try poking it and it will probably take a longer time to heal.