I stopped covering the burn scars when my granddaughter asked to draw them

Dear Delyara, I have burn scars across my chest and one arm from an accident in my twenties. For thirty years, I wore high necklines and long sleeves whenever possible. My granddaughter is five and recently asked why my skin has “rivers.” I told her about scars in simple language. She asked if she could draw them. My first instinct was no. Then I said yes. She traced the shapes on paper while looking carefully at my arm, not horrified, just interested. She colored them purple and gold because she said brown was boring. I laughed. Since then, I have begun wearing short sleeves around family and, slowly, outside. Self-love has not transformed scars into something I find beautiful every morning. It has reduced the amount of life I am willing to spend dressing as though my skin is information other people must be protected from.