--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's dying,\" I say. \"When the center is…" description: "\"“It's dying,\" I say. \"When the center is exposed like that, it doesn't have a chance.\" \"But it's beautiful,\" she points out, I stare at the shriveling ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/845/katie-kacvinsky-1279_battle-scars_it-s-dying-i-say-when-the-center-is-expo_1610589.jpg" --- # It's dying," I say. "When the center is exposed like that… ![“It's dying," I say. "When the center is exposed like that, it doesn't have a chance." "But it's beautiful," she points out, I stare at the shriveling cactus and try to see the beauty in it. "That's the way I want to go out," she decides. "What?" I ask. "Torn up and ripped open?" She shakes her…” quote by Katie Kacvinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/845/katie-kacvinsky-1279_battle-scars_it-s-dying-i-say-when-the-center-is-expo_1610589.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/845/katie-kacvinsky-1279_battle-scars_it-s-dying-i-say-when-the-center-is-expo_1610589.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/845/katie-kacvinsky-1279_battle-scars_it-s-dying-i-say-when-the-center-is-expo_1610589.jpg) > ““It's dying," I say. "When the center is exposed like that, it doesn't have a chance." "But it's beautiful," she points out, I stare at the shriveling cactus and try to see the beauty in it. "That's the way I want to go out," she decides. "What?" I ask. "Torn up and ripped open?" She shakes her head. "Totally exposed, with no regrets. You can tell this cactus lived; it has the battle scars to prove it. Why go out looking perfect and put together? It means you didn't experience anything. You didn't take any risks.”” [Katie Kacvinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-kacvinsky/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Accepting vulnerability and imperfection as signs of a lived, authentic life rather than failure. **In simple terms:** Being open and scarred shows you truly lived. Key Takeaway Embrace exposure, reject perfection. Themes vulnerability authenticity risk imperfection Mood reflective hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - personal growth - creative expression - mental health coping - artistic inspiration Key Concepts existentialism psychology beauty in decay Questions to Reflect On - How does embracing scars change your self‑worth? - What risks have you avoided for fear of exposure? A Different Perspective Perfectionism can still dominate despite openness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Battle scars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/battle-scars/) [Beauty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beauty/) ## Related quotes > [I survived the broken heart you gave me...I have battle scars for fighting for you...And I bleed all night just to have you back...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-survived-the-broken-heart-you-gave-me-i-have-battle-scars-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“This was just how adult relationships were, how love felt once you had a few battle scars.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gayle-forman/this-was-just-how-adult-relationships-were-how-love-felt-once-you-had/) [Gayle Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayle-forman/) > [These battle scars, don't look like they're fading Don't look like they're ever going away They ain't never gonna change These battle scars, don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bubbles/these-battle-scars-don-t-look-like-they-re-fading-don-t-look-like/) [Bubbles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bubbles/) > [No one else noticed, or cared. It was just something they did. Taking other people’s livestock. Other people’s lives. She watched the soldiers, hating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-bacigalupi/no-one-else-noticed-or-cared-it-was-just-something-they-did-taking/) [Paolo Bacigalupi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-bacigalupi/) > [It's the progressive left in this country that has viciously and systematically slimed female conservatives for their beliefs. We have the well-worn battle scars…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-malkin/it-s-the-progressive-left-in-this-country-that-has-viciously-and/) [Michelle Malkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-malkin/) > [We've got battle scars, but they'll heal in time with your love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carriemarie/we-ve-got-battle-scars-but-they-ll-heal-in-time-with-your-love/) [CarrieMarie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carriemarie/) > [Battle scars from the war of good versus evil have a unique beauty all their own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/battle-scars-from-the-war-of-good-versus-evil-have-a-unique-beauty/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Some of us have battle scars in places others can’t see.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carmen-jenner/some-of-us-have-battle-scars-in-places-others-can-t-see/) [Carmen Jenner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carmen-jenner/) > [So damn easy to say that life's so hard…Everybody's got their share of battle scars.As for me I would like to thank my lucky…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bakyphitz/so-damn-easy-to-say-that-life-s-so-hard-everybody-s-got-their-share/) [Bakyphitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bakyphitz/) > [“If you never take chances, then of course you won’t get hurt. But that’s what life is all about, kiddo. Living through the good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-reber/if-you-never-take-chances-then-of-course-you-won-t-get-hurt-but-that/) [Tina Reber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-reber/) > [“The physical, mental and emotional battle scars remain and although some have healed significantly, many remain indefinitely.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-reed-early/the-physical-mental-and-emotional-battle-scars-remain-and-although/) Justin Reed Early > [“Thunderdome will never be boring so I'll have fresh battle scars when I die.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenn-cooksey/thunderdome-will-never-be-boring-so-i-ll-have-fresh-battle-scars-when/) [Jenn Cooksey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenn-cooksey/) > [“We are drawn to Jesus because “he learned obedience from what he suffered” (Heb. 5:8). People who are growing up are also drawn to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cloud/we-are-drawn-to-jesus-because-he-learned-obedience-from-what-he/) [Henry Cloud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cloud/) > [I believe scars are like battles wounds -beautiful in a way they remind us of what we've been through and how we've overcome it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sabrina-cavalieri/i-believe-scars-are-like-battles-wounds-beautiful-in-a-way-they/) Sabrina Cavalieri > [Maybe one day these battle scars will fade from the great battle against myself… nobody can win…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scot-kennedy/maybe-one-day-these-battle-scars-will-fade-from-the-great-battle/) [Scot Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scot-kennedy/) ## More by Katie Kacvinsky > [“I don't know what to say. I hate that. I wish I had all the answers for you. I wish I could explain why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-kacvinsky/i-don-t-know-what-to-say-i-hate-that-i-wish-i-had-all-the-answers-for/) [Katie Kacvinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-kacvinsky/) > [“You need to be content with small steps. That's all life is. Small steps that you take every day so when you look back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-kacvinsky/you-need-to-be-content-with-small-steps-that-s-all-life-is-small/) [Katie Kacvinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-kacvinsky/) > [“Cameras give one person a thousand eyes. They take us light years away. Pictures introduce us to a million strangers. They let us travel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-kacvinsky/cameras-give-one-person-a-thousand-eyes-they-take-us-light-years-away/) [Katie Kacvinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-kacvinsky/) > [“...don't be afraid to fall. Your wings will catch you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-kacvinsky/don-t-be-afraid-to-fall-your-wings-will-catch-you/) [Katie Kacvinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-kacvinsky/) > [“I tell Dylan I have to go to the bathroom. I shut the door and try to pee, but my dick's already sticking straight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-kacvinsky/i-tell-dylan-i-have-to-go-to-the-bathroom-i-shut-the-door-and-try-to/) [Katie Kacvinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-kacvinsky/) > [“I think falling in love should come with a warning label: CAUTION - side effects may include breaking up, accompanied by heartache, severe mood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-kacvinsky/i-think-falling-in-love-should-come-with-a-warning-label-caution-side/) [Katie Kacvinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-kacvinsky/) > [“Life's too short to hold back forgiveness.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-kacvinsky/life-s-too-short-to-hold-back-forgiveness/) [Katie Kacvinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-kacvinsky/) > [“I don't know for sure where I'm going to end up. But I know who I love. And I'm figuring out that might be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-kacvinsky/i-don-t-know-for-sure-where-i-m-going-to-end-up-but-i-know-who-i-love/) [Katie Kacvinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-kacvinsky/) > [“I learned that once you make a decision, you need to see it through. If you don't, you'll lose faith in yourself, and that's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-kacvinsky/i-learned-that-once-you-make-a-decision-you-need-to-see-it-through-if/) [Katie Kacvinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-kacvinsky/) > [“I think falling in love should come with a warning label: CAUTION—side effects may include sporadic singing in public (specifically Celine Dion covers), emotional…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-kacvinsky/i-think-falling-in-love-should-come-with-a-warning-label-caution-side-2/) [Katie Kacvinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-kacvinsky/) > [“I suffer from freak creative outbursts,” I say, which is true, and his mouth starts to twitch. “That’s what you call lying?” “No,” I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-kacvinsky/i-suffer-from-freak-creative-outbursts-i-say-which-is-true-and-his/) [Katie Kacvinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-kacvinsky/) > [“I do the "I just got laid," walk for days after our trip to Los Angeles. It's more like a strut. It's pretty obvious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-kacvinsky/i-do-the-i-just-got-laid-walk-for-days-after-our-trip-to-los-angeles/) [Katie Kacvinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-kacvinsky/) > [“I love you," she says. "But that doesn't mean I'm ready to give up my life for you. I don't want to pull over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-kacvinsky/i-love-you-she-says-but-that-doesn-t-mean-i-m-ready-to-give-up-my/) [Katie Kacvinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-kacvinsky/) > [“...most people were motivated not by what they want but what they want to avoid.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-kacvinsky/most-people-were-motivated-not-by-what-they-want-but-what-they-want/) [Katie Kacvinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-kacvinsky/) > [“lifes to short to say maybe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-kacvinsky/lifes-to-short-to-say-maybe/) [Katie Kacvinsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-kacvinsky/) [Explore all 261 Katie Kacvinsky quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-kacvinsky/) ## More Battle scars quotes > [I survived the broken heart you gave me...I have battle scars for fighting for you...And I bleed all night just to have you back...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-survived-the-broken-heart-you-gave-me-i-have-battle-scars-for/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I believe scars are like battles wounds -beautiful in a way they remind us of what we've been through and how we've overcome it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sabrina-cavalieri/i-believe-scars-are-like-battles-wounds-beautiful-in-a-way-they/) Sabrina Cavalieri > [“We are drawn to Jesus because “he learned obedience from what he suffered” (Heb. 5:8). People who are growing up are also drawn to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-cloud/we-are-drawn-to-jesus-because-he-learned-obedience-from-what-he/) [Henry Cloud](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-cloud/) > [“Thunderdome will never be boring so I'll have fresh battle scars when I die.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenn-cooksey/thunderdome-will-never-be-boring-so-i-ll-have-fresh-battle-scars-when/) [Jenn Cooksey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenn-cooksey/) > [“The physical, mental and emotional battle scars remain and although some have healed significantly, many remain indefinitely.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-reed-early/the-physical-mental-and-emotional-battle-scars-remain-and-although/) Justin Reed Early > [“If you never take chances, then of course you won’t get hurt. But that’s what life is all about, kiddo. Living through the good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-reber/if-you-never-take-chances-then-of-course-you-won-t-get-hurt-but-that/) [Tina Reber](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-reber/) > [So damn easy to say that life's so hard…Everybody's got their share of battle scars.As for me I would like to thank my lucky…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bakyphitz/so-damn-easy-to-say-that-life-s-so-hard-everybody-s-got-their-share/) [Bakyphitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bakyphitz/) > [“Some of us have battle scars in places others can’t see.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carmen-jenner/some-of-us-have-battle-scars-in-places-others-can-t-see/) [Carmen Jenner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carmen-jenner/) > [Battle scars from the war of good versus evil have a unique beauty all their own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/battle-scars-from-the-war-of-good-versus-evil-have-a-unique-beauty/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We've got battle scars, but they'll heal in time with your love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carriemarie/we-ve-got-battle-scars-but-they-ll-heal-in-time-with-your-love/) [CarrieMarie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carriemarie/) > [It's the progressive left in this country that has viciously and systematically slimed female conservatives for their beliefs. We have the well-worn battle scars…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-malkin/it-s-the-progressive-left-in-this-country-that-has-viciously-and/) [Michelle Malkin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-malkin/) > [No one else noticed, or cared. It was just something they did. Taking other people’s livestock. Other people’s lives. She watched the soldiers, hating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paolo-bacigalupi/no-one-else-noticed-or-cared-it-was-just-something-they-did-taking/) [Paolo Bacigalupi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paolo-bacigalupi/) > [These battle scars, don't look like they're fading Don't look like they're ever going away They ain't never gonna change These battle scars, don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bubbles/these-battle-scars-don-t-look-like-they-re-fading-don-t-look-like/) [Bubbles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bubbles/) > [“This was just how adult relationships were, how love felt once you had a few battle scars.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gayle-forman/this-was-just-how-adult-relationships-were-how-love-felt-once-you-had/) [Gayle Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayle-forman/) > [Maybe one day these battle scars will fade from the great battle against myself… nobody can win…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/scot-kennedy/maybe-one-day-these-battle-scars-will-fade-from-the-great-battle/) [Scot Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/scot-kennedy/) [Browse all 38 Battle scars quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/battle-scars/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“It's dying,\" I say. \"When the center is exposed like that, it doesn't have a chance.\" \"But it's beautiful,\" she points out, I stare at the shriveling cactus and try to see the beauty in it. \"That's the way I want to go out,\" she decides. \"What?\" I ask. \"Torn up and ripped open?\" She shakes her head. \"Totally exposed, with no regrets. 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