A story by Saanvi Sharma

Bio

Saanvi Sharma, a rising senior in high school in Texas, is completing an internship at Texas
Woman’s University’s Language and Culture department within the English and Rhetoric unit, and the Write Site. Through participation in prestigious writing and leadership programs at esteemed institutions such as the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Rice University, she has refined her craft.
Currently, she is working on a feature article manuscript that highlights the stories and
experiences of immigrant families in the USA. With a passion for academia and writing, she
demonstrates a deep commitment to storytelling, language, and cultural exploration.

Words Heal Skin

It all began with a small red spot on my cheeks; the same spot that was once smooth to
the touch just a few days before. “Not a big deal,” I thought to myself. I was wrong. That one
pimple multiplied into two and then three, and the next thing I knew, my face had evolved into a roadmap of inflamed spots. I initially tried to ignore it, but that was impossible. I always had clear skin, so when I got acne, I felt as though I was losing a piece of myself. My reflection was my nemesis, a constant reminder that my skin would never be the same. The distressed piece of glass in my bathroom mocked me, accentuating each bump. I feared going to school, imagining.

The staring eyes of my friends, keeping my head down. I avoided eye contact, convinced
everyone’s head would turn at the sight of my skin. Though I was still the same extroverted
young girl, I could only find true relief in the moments I forgot about my new face.
Since I was a little girl, writing has been my window to self-expression, a way to
overcome the pressures and embrace the struggles of life. However, out of all the pieces that I have ever written, none has affected me as much as “Scars of Resilience.” What started as my sophomore year English exam evolved into something much more; it became a lens through which I could view my transformation from self-negativity to self-affirmation. I was both excited and scared when my English teacher announced the topic for our final assignment.

“Write about something that shaped you,” a straightforward yet challenging assignment. As I sat before the blank page, unblemished, eager to be filled with anything but just my name, clarity struck; this assignment was more than just a school project; it was my self-reflection.
I began to type. My fingers flew across the keyboard. I could not stop writing about the
harmful effects acne had on my life, both emotionally and physically. I talked about the many
products that promised miracles but did nothing; the hours I spent looking for topical creams, and how I had started to identify myself by my skin. As I wrote, each word felt like a step towards accepting myself. Writing ‘Scars of Resilience’ allowed me to investigate how my sense of value had been so greatly influenced by society’s beauty standards. I recalled flipping through magazines, their pages filled with flawless faces that seemed to judge my imperfections. I remembered the natural skincare remedies promising to clear breakouts overnight. These realizations made me wonder why I had allowed a temporary skin condition to dictate my self-worth. I pondered why I’d let something I couldn’t control ruin my mood. I started to see my acne as a normal growth process rather than a defect because of my writing.

As I typed the last period, I felt a sense of accomplishment. I found myself questioning
societal beauty expectations. Through writing my essay, I reframed my perspective. Acne was
simply a crucial part of growing up. I felt this essay had started as a mandatory assignment, but turned into an unexpected work of literature and became a tool for self-discovery and healing, just beginning to explain the development of my life. However, my story with “Scars of Resilience” wasn’t over yet. It was a week after we turned in our papers that I recalled my
teacher telling us that the class would hear our narratives. A wave of nausea settled through me. I was worried that my peers would see my crimson cheeks and that I would be vulnerable.

Quickly, my palms sweated, and I was about to request an exception, but something stopped me. I realized that concealing my writing would be like covering up my face with layers of
concealer—it wouldn’t alter myself beneath.

On the day of the presentations, we used a system in which each person would walk
around and switch out reading each other’s narratives. We were also asked to write notes of
appreciation and why we liked having them in our class. When I read my notes, I was overjoyed by the supportive messages from my peers. That was when I really realized the value of literacy—not just as a tool for connecting with others, but also as a way of self-expression. “Scars of Resilience” was a piece of literature that allowed me to cope with a part of myself that I never thought I could recover from. It truly illuminated the essence of literacy, which goes beyond simply knowing how to read and write—it serves as a way of feeling supported, even while fighting battles.

The distressed piece of glass in my bathroom still reflects a picture of blemishes across
my face, but my eyes no longer view it as a battlefield. Instead, each mark is now a story, each scar a chapter in my journey of self-discovery. This shift in perspective didn’t happen overnight.
It was a gradual transformation by something unexpected: writing. As I pour my thoughts onto paper for school assignments, I feel the familiarity of vulnerability. But now, unlike before, I lean into it.

Today, I stand tall, pen in hand and heart on sleeve. In the end, it wasn’t about erasing
my scars, but about rewriting their meaning.

Reminder

In August, Literary Revelations is set to unveil a stunning album of fine-art photography by the acclaimed Japanese artist Naoki Kimura. Measuring a refined 8.3 inches wide by 11.7 inches tall, this collection promises to be a visual feast, printed on the finest paper that Amazon offers.

What sets Kimura’s work apart is his unparalleled mastery of monochrome photography, which exquisitely captures the mesmerizing dance of light and shadows—transforming each image into a profound experience. The artist’s extraordinary photographic technique has garnered him countless awards and provided him with the opportunity to showcase his fervent dedication to beauty in art at numerous prestigious international exhibitions.

The collection also includes short prose, haiku, and tanka, written by Naoki Kimura.

This album is a collector’s piece. I hope you will enjoy it.