What is your scar like? What are you battling with that makes you want to hide your face from the entire world? You haven’t eaten in days, and everyone is so worried about you. You have forgotten that you have a life. You haven’t showered in days. You refuse to do anything—just you, alone, by yourself. No matter the scar on your face, the world needs you to come out. You don’t need to prove anything to anyone—that you’re good enough or bad. You don’t need to use a microphone to announce to anyone how good, important, and valuable you are to society.
The scar on Fred’s face has shut him out for the longest time. A young boy of sixteen, hoping to become an engineer in the future, has been broken for two whole years. He is at the top of his class in every subject, and everyone wonders how he finds time to read, study, and help his parents sell their foodstuffs. A very strong, hardworking young man whom everyone wishes their kids could be like, Fred was doing well until one day, he got hit by a car and was taken to the hospital for treatment. After an immediate surgery, he was fine, but left with a scar that covered his entire face. The doctors were willing to operate on his face, but the cost was too much for his family to pay, and they couldn’t do anything but leave Fred to live with his face as it was.
Two weeks later, Fred returned home. His dreams were fading away. After resting for a while, he was ready to go back to school. As he returned, every student and staff member stayed far away from him. Even his closest friends ran away. His face was so injured, covered with so many black spots, that no one could stand it. They were afraid to come close to him. After three months, Fred decided to stop attending school. His mother agreed with his decision, which saddened them both deeply. It was just one teacher, Miss Oma, who cared to check up on him and his family daily. It got to the point where Fred stopped going to his parents’ shop to assist them. Customers would see him and refuse to buy from them. Sales grew worse, and they decided that Fred should stay home.
Two years went by, and Fred stayed home. No one realized that he was still alive—most people thought he was dead due to the scar on his face. He never went outside, never went to school, the shop, or church—nowhere at all. His only friend was Miss Oma. She would encourage him to stay strong and never give up. She would teach him, play with him, and pray with him. Sometimes, when it was time for her to leave, Fred didn’t want her to go home. He cried and cried. His parents stopped caring about him. He wouldn’t eat unless Miss Oma visited him. He tried to talk with his parents about why they had changed, but they cursed him, insulted him, and threw him out of the house, never bothering to see if he was safe or not.
One particular day, Miss Oma saw him on the streets and took him in. She protected him and made sure he ate well. Miss Oma became his new family. He laughed for the first time in a long while, and he was treated better.
Fred forgot about his scar until one day when Miss Oma’s husband came to marry her officially. Oma had begged her fiancé to accept Fred, but he refused, cursed him, and broke up with Miss Oma. She cried for days and fell sick in the process. She went to the hospital for treatment. While she was in the hospital, Fred went home. Miss Oma thought he was going to get some food for her, but little did she know that Fred had killed himself. He left a note saying sorry to everyone for causing them pain—his family, his school, and for ruining Miss Oma’s relationship. Fred was no more.
No matter the scar, love people, and love yourself. God knows best.