Strong story
After a serious accident
“I gilded my scars and healed”
Juliane Klüß has gilded her scars – externally and internally
© Stefanie Blochwitz
As a teenager, Juliane Klüß, 40, survived a serious accident. Since then, burn scars have marked her body. Here she tells us how she draws strength from her fate.
When I was 16, I survived an explosion in my own home. It was a tragic one Accident that changed my life. Since then, extensive burn scars have marked my upper body. The good thing about it: They remind me every day how incredibly lucky I am to be alive.
My scars have changed me
However, I hid my scars for a long time and wore turtlenecks even in the summer. I couldn’t stand being stared at. However, over time I learned to accept my new self. Like any other young woman, I put on bikinis again and tolerated the prying eyes.
Still, something was different than before the accident. It felt like I wasn’t “whole.” As if the external change in my skin was a sign of how deeply I was hurting inside. Like a broken jug that has been put back together – you still perceive it as a jug, but it is no longer the same as before.
This feeling accompanied me for 23 years. I got used to it and eventually stopped questioning it. I did what many others do: got married, had two children and followed the rhythm of life.
When I was gilding I was able to allow all my feelings
Then the day came when I had a healing and powerful experience. I painted my scars with gold dust and was accompanied by my friend, the photographer Stefanie Blochwitz.
© Stefanie Blochwitz
I traced the lines of my burn scars like a map, and with each brush stroke deeply buried emotions were released. I allowed all the feelings. Anything old and injured that came up was allowed to be there. I painted, felt and looked. I refined my scars with gold and made whole what no longer felt whole. It was indescribably beautiful.
© Stefanie Blochwitz
This intensive experience was extremely important for coming to terms with my trauma. She was instrumental in helping me accept myself and draw strength from my pain that I didn’t know I had.
© Stefanie Blochwitz
We have to learn to look
Today I am convinced that we can all draw the greatest strength from our injuries if we only allow ourselves to look. We all have light and dark sides, and all facets of our being want to be seen and accepted.
Unfortunately, we tend to only embrace the strengths and the good and push away the evil and bad. By repressing things, we can develop fears that block us and keep us small. However, when we allow ourselves to embrace and “gild” our internal and external scars, we unlock our power and enable us to be gentle with ourselves and with the world.
The author: Juliane Klüss began her professional career as a chemical engineer. Today she lives as a photographer and author in Rostock – and would also like to give other women the chance to “gild” their visible or invisible scars and capture the process in photos (inquiries at julika-foto.de).