For a 12-year-old, "Past Scars" was very well written. I really enjoyed reading about "Erin" having to over come this pain that she felt inside, she's a strong person, but she's also weak. I can't say I can relate to "Erin" but I can relate to her parents. In the article, "Erin's" father questioned "Why would you do this to yourself?" She responds that deserves to hurt. I strongly disagree, no one deserves to hurt, especially not a 12-year-old girl, a child. As was mentioned before, I can relate to her parents because I've been in their position. One of my loved ones was leaving a trail of scars all over her beautiful skin because of that pain she felt inside. "The physical pain that [they] inflicted temporarily relieved the emotional pain [they] felt every day." I'm really glad that "Erin" felt ashamed, I'm glad that she opened her eyes and saw that she not only caused damage to herself, but to others as well. An "I love you" and tears from her parents were enough to give her that strength to deal with that pain and keep her clean. As for my loved one, she never got that love and those tears, nor did she get that talk that "Erin" got from her parents. I was the one to be there for her, I gave her that love, I cried those tears. I felt that same pain that "Erin's" parents felt. She promised me she would stop, for me she tossed her blades, but her old ways dragged her back, left her temmporarily stained in red but left marks that will last a lifetime. Reading this article, it made me think back to the first time I saw her scars, and I want her to be just a little bit like "Erin." I want her to really see that she's not just causing damage to herself. I want her to know that she's that she's alive inside even when she feels dead, that she has a purpose in this world. I want her to feel ashamed.