There is a growing callus on her thumb; the nail polish wears off quicker than normal. Dirt collects around and within her fingernails in the garden; her right arm's muscles are larger from sawing off and chopping tree branches. Instead of sweet-scented lotion, her fingers, her entire hands, smell of laundry soap, laundry softener, dish soap, bathroom cleanser, and soil - sometimes all at once. Small scars decorate the skin on her hands: little spots from hot, splattered oil; cuts here and there from blades of knives, edges of tables, and thorns from plants; bruises along her forearm surprisingly appear. She runs wounded skin through cold water and soap, though there are times she prefers to wash them in pure alcohol. She always keeps band-aids in her pouch. The insides of her hands have touched so many undesired yet unforgettable objects and scents: the cold cadaver of a human; a sickly puppy taking its final breath; a very moist newborn puppy; rotten eggs; dogs' fleas, urine, and feces; the mold building up on bathroom tiles; hardened bodies of dogs that have just passed; dog vomit; stray cats and dogs who have never felt the warmth of a human hand. Her hands have endured sadness, pain, disgust. Yet there are good things, too: the wonder of greens budding from the seeds she's planted in the soil; the calmness of petting the dogs closest to her heart; the pages of journals from years before; the pages of newly-opened books and blank pages of journals for the future; the hands of little children holding tightly unto her; the soft, flawless skin of a baby; the grip of a pen in her hand; the mess of glue and glitters and paint and ink during joyful moments of crafting; the fruits from trees in her yard; the comfort of the surface of her bed. Her hands have also held such treasured moments. 

Yet her palms remain rough: the tiny cracks, the little calluses, the scars. They have made her hands tougher than ever; in this, she remains grateful. There will be more wounds in the future, but she knows joy will also traverse her open, rough palms.