What tattoo do you want and where would you put it?

To tattoo or not to tattoo, that is the question?

I got my first tiny tattoo after my son was born. Simply, the tattoo symbolized “blessing “

About five years later, I got my next one.  This one was channeled just for me. I told the artist I wanted a feather. I didn’t tell him why or what it meant to me.  He did not know the backstory or anything about my past and yet he channeled the most perfect drawing for me.

I was blown away! I’ve written about a spiritual experience I’ve had and this artist seemed to capture the experience in a drawing, without knowing me at all.

I didn’t get a tattoo again for another 15 years.

It was my birthday and I decided to treat myself to a hand poked tattoo. It was an image to help remind me to be present. When I am 100% present and in the moment, I am not thinking. I am not in my head,  which is a blessed thing.

I got the itch again and again so in the last two years, I’m now up to nine tattoos.

They are all meaningful to me. Like many others, we put a permanent tattoo on our body because it’s important to us in some way.

I had a bad experience with one artist and decided to cancel. I knew I would look at the image/tattoo and have a negative connotation with it. However, I made sure to give them extra money in their pocket for the time they invested in creating the drawing.  Because I had this planned for my birthday for many months, I was now without a tattoo on my special day. So I went online and found a fun flash drawing I loved! I was able to get it done that day! 

These days, I look at that tattoo with a smile. It reminds me of how I advocated for myself, was authentic and true to myself. It gives me courage and inspiration.

I eventually got the original birthday tattoo done the way I wanted and with the artist I was meant to work with. This was a poem I wrote about the experience:

Tattoo

Let age not define you
I get excited, come up with plans
Then the pesky voice beckons
What now?

You’re too old it says

I smile and whisper back
Nice try
I’m getting a tattoo today
Who cares if my muscles are sore?
I feel it more and more

It’s an inner battle for sure
But conversations to self
Inner reckonings
Decide
Who and what will I be today?

The sun is out
I’m young in heart
What joy to be alive!

The image going on my arm
A memory of summers past
Lying in the field
Looking up at the dark and vast space
Shooting stars
Beautiful
Bliss

Even then the voice said it wouldn’t last
Back to school soon
But I turned my attention back to the moment
Looked up at the night sky
As this memory etched into my soul
And now body
Forever

I love all of my tattoos. They hold special meaning and I find them beautiful. That is really all that matters.