The letter from the author reads: I wrote most of the following poems in 2015 during an adventure of travel and soul-searching. Some are years older but still applicable. I drove across the United States alone for 30 days. I attended body suspension events in 6 cities and met too many amazing people to count. I challenged myself to open up and discover new situations every day, which has helped bolster my self-esteem and ward off once crippling anxiety and depression. "Scars and Stripes" is a poetry memoir that speaks of issues with depression, isolation, addiction, self-injury and other destructive paths. But I would like to believe it comes full circle to convey a message of hope, strength, and the importance of personal freedom.