When I was very young, I had surgery on my right shoulder. Due to a medical accident, it left a large and ugly scar that stayed with me as I grew up.

Back then, I was extremely self-conscious — I didn’t even dare to wear clothes with wide necklines.

When I was in college, one day I decided to get a tattoo to cover it. I secretly saved up money without telling my mom and had a flower tattooed over the scar. From that moment on, I was never insecure about it again (though sometimes I still cover it with clothes or my hair, afraid of being judged by coworkers).

Later, my mom found out. She didn’t scold me — I guess it was because she felt heartbroken for me too.