Nowadays, few people know this little tale. Only my family, or people who knew me as a child…

When I was born, God gave me a strawberry birthmark. A hemangioma. Try to say that three times fast in a row!

They aren’t dangerous. But they are a type of tumor. And mine was in the shape of a red heart, right on my forehead!

As I grew, the red coloring began to fade, turning flesh-color, and the heart shape went round. I mostly wore bangs growing up, so it wasn’t always visible.

When people did see it, not knowing what it was, they thought that I’d suffered a bump to the head. And it did look that way!

Somebody give me an ice pack!

Yes. I certainly played a trick or two on people who pointed out my birthmark. Oh my poor head! And then I’d have a laugh on them. It would make them laugh too. And then I’d explain.

When I was about 21 years old, I had minor surgery to have the tumor removed. Now all I have left is a perfectly straight scar where the scalpel ran across my skin. No one would ever know.

It’s funny. It was a part of me, yet I hardly think about it much anymore. I never really thought about it growing up! It was just, me.

But sometimes I do remember. And I like to smile and think, that I was born with heart. In more ways than one!

Stay Inspired.