A few weeks ago, my tattoo artists and I roughly drew up the half-sleeve of flowers I eventually want to have on my right arm and I added another piece to what I already started. When I showed the sketch to my best friend, she asked me, "What does each flower mean?"
In all honestly, there is no meaning to each flower individually. But as a whole, there are several symbols.
1. Love
Lauren Burkholder
People give flowers to people they love. Boys give flowers to their girlfriends. Husbands give flowers to their wives. Children give flowers to their moms. But why can't I give flowers to myself? Each year, I add another flower to my sleeve as I learn to love and accept myself for who I am.
2. Beauty
Lauren Burkholder
Each flower is unique and beautiful in its own way, just as every person is.
3. Happiness
Lauren Burkholder
How can you look at flowers and not feel happy inside?
4. Resilience
Lauren Burkholder
Come fall every year, flowers die. Yet come every spring, they blossom again. As human beings, we go through struggles in life. Sometimes we feel like those struggles will be the death of us and want to give up, but we can survive. It is possible to bloom again if you fight through your battles. I was able to overcome mine!
5. Life
Lauren Burkholder
I like to incorporate bees into my half-sleeve to symbolize life. Without bees, there would be no life on Earth. Bees pollinate the flowers and plants we need to survive. So be nice to our planet and save the bees!
man running in forestPhoto by 
