"You will regret that."
A four-letter phrase I have heard hundreds of times about my tattoos. Most of the time this phrase honestly just makes me laugh. What gives someone the right to say such a bold statement about a marking on my body? I'm fully aware that this artwork will one day fade and stretch, but it will never be any less meaningful. My tattoos are stories of who I am, and the challenges I have faced. I will never understand how some people out there can be fixated on markings that do not even appear on them, affect their lives, or faze them whatsoever. These tattoos are not meant to please others, they are meant to please me. I refuse to live a life thriving off of approval from others.
The idea of a marking on my body for the rest of my existence is crazy thing to think about. One day you wake up with perfectly clear skin. The next you wake up with a mark that will forever be engraved on your body. This is such a powerful idea. There is beauty in the idea you can put anything you could dream of on your own body. Commitment is terrifying. Getting a tattoo is a life commitment. That alone is enough to scare people away from getting a tattoo, but this idea made me want them even more. I live for the adrenaline rush, just knowing that when the needle finally stops, the ink that flows from it will be forever. In that moment, the world slows down just for a few seconds for you to acknowledge the new artwork on your body.
The most fulfilling feeling is to tell the stories behind my tattoos and see a positive reaction from the person I am telling. I truly light up whenever I get the chance to share with others the purpose behind the words. The words and numbers on my skin represent something bigger than myself. They represent where I grew up and words that have helped me be so positive and carefree in this life. They are meant to inspire, not offend. They are meant to be a physical representation of who I am. My tattoos are my own personal timeline, a peek into my crazy, amazing and overall rewarding life. Each one having a story not just behind the ink but my outlook on life when I decided to get each piece. My tattoos inspire me to never give up, to always be full of hope and radiate positivity. Who I am is not who I have been, but I will always have reminders of struggles and challenges that have shaped me.
