I'm proud of my scars. They might look a little different, but it gives me an opportunity to encourage others.
I encourage everyone reading this message to lean into the things that make you unique and that others may call "weird" and realize that your experience, whether it is suffering or something else, gives you an opportunity to connect with others and give them hope.
Sam Brown is a retired member of the U.S. Army. Use of military rank, job titles, and photographs in uniform does not imply endorsement of the United States Army or the Department of Defense.