Precious Scars

"I dreaded coming home from grade school. Dad worked the night shift downtown, but if he decided to drink in the morning, I could count on him to be there, waiting for me."

A life of abuse, sexual exploration, and spiritual awakening form the basis of Yehuda Jacobi's moving memoir, "Precious Scars."

Candidly detailing his life as the child of a physically abusive father and enabling mother, Jacobi suffers from a variety of severe emotional issues by the time he leaves home.

Struggling with his sexuality, Jacobi flirts with the idea of suicide until his chance encounter with an LGBT-friendly church and a devout Taoist who changes his life forever.

As Jacobi learns more about the concepts of forgiveness, acceptance, and suffering, he begins to form a new sense of self and is increasingly drawn to concepts found in Christianity, Judaism, and Eastern religions.

It is not until he confronts the death of both his parents, however, that Jacobi truly recognizes the person he has become. These essays, as well as select private journal entries, constitute the heart of "Precious Scars" and offer hope for all those who have suffered at the hands of an abusive adult.