First, let me just say, this article is not intended to call anyone out personally. It's merely a platform of thoughts intended to help educate and explain what having a tattoo signifies to me and many other people, as there are many misconstrued thoughts. Whether it's generational or it comes from a pastor at a church or it's simply something you're against, a lot of people who don't like tattoos tend to approach those who have them in the same way -- with disgust, disapproval and/or judgement.

Now, I understand, I do. For the generation of our parents, tattoos are associated with the dirty men of the military or those who have been in prison. They're unclean scars that signify something horrible about whoever was crazy enough to have the pain of permanent ink inflicted upon their body. And it's OK that you might think that. It's a mindset, a habit, something that you grew up with. And it's hard to change such a negative way of thinking. But that, my friends, is exactly why I'm here.

Let's start with what my tattoo is not:

1. My tattoo is not a form of self-harm.
I know, I know. It makes sense, right? Because I am actively choosing to go through something painful, so therefore, I must be doing it out of a mentality that I want to hurt myself. But getting a tattoo is different from self-harm for some very important reasons. First, I (nor anyone that I know) would never pay all that money in order to hurt myself or to feel pain. To put it bluntly, self-harm is a relatively inexpensive habit.

Second, self-harm is normally a fast process. There are prolonged thoughts, yes, but the urge for self-harm doesn't include setting up appointments and designing and working around schedules. If I really wanted to hurt myself, I wouldn't go through all the time that it takes to get a tattoo. Which, granted, can be a quick process, but for those who know what they're doing, it does take time and effort. Self-harm is something people want to get over with and can be a momentary feeling, not something to be planned out for execution. Though, at times, that is the case.

Third, self-harm is a relatively lonely experience. Personally, I would not want anyone else in the room to be there as I inflicted pain upon myself for various reasons that I do not have time to flesh out. And then, probably most importantly, the reason is in the name: self-harm. It's something that someone does to themselves, and because of the very nature of what self-harm is, letting go of the control of the pain and letting someone else give it to you kind of defeats the purpose. One last quick note as well:

Self-harm = shame. New tattoo = pride + all the Instagrams to show it off. No one who struggles with self-harm would ever walk up to someone and say, "Look, I just cut myself, wanna see? I think I'll use this filter, I can't wait to show all my family and friends."

2. Related: My tattoo is not a cry for help.
Let me say it again: My tattoo is not a cry for help. Stop worrying. Stop telling family members that you think I'm on the verge of a mental breakdown, stop assuming that I'm going through some traumatic life experience. Just stop. If anything, my tattoo is a cry for joy. I know many people might like to think otherwise, but most of us do actually think about what we're doing when we get a tattoo. A shock, I know, but it's true. We're not stupid, we use our brains, and if I needed to cry out for help, I wouldn't permanently etch it onto my skin.

3. My tattoo is not a sin.
Alright, let's tackle this one real quick, guys. For all you Christians out there, I'm sure I don't even need to throw the verse at you. You know it. And in fact, you don't even have to be a Christian to know that "the Bible says you shouldn't mark your skin, your body is a temple, etc." But let's hop to those verses real quick:

"You shall not make any cuts on your body for the dead or tattoo yourselves: I am the Lord." Leviticus 19:28

As Christians, we have freedom from the law of the Old Testament in Christ, and are therefore no longer bound to such things. Romans 7:4 speaks clearly that we are to die to the Law through Christ. Which is also why men can shave and why we can wear cotton and poly blend shirts. Thank God.

"Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body." 1 Corinthians 6:19-20

Now, I don't want to speak for everyone here. But personally, and to many people I know, I only glorify God more by my tattoos. Yes, people should know that I am a Christian without a mark on my skin, but couldn't you say the same about the mark of the cross? There's no reason to wear cross necklaces, then, because you shouldn't have to for people to know you're a Christian, right? But we do. Because we want people to ask. And for those of us who can use our tattoos to talk about God, well I think that's an almost sacred form of glorifying my temple.

4. My tattoo does not in any way make me a bad person or give me the potential to fall in with "the wrong crowd."

Going back to that whole mentality thing. Here is where it's your job. People have got to stop associating tattoos with bad people. Someone can be happy and loving and have a family and a great job and great friends and yes, still, have tattoos. I know, it's shocking, it's hard to believe, but I promise, there are some really good, genuine people who have nothing to offer but love and kindness who also have tattoos. It's not contradictory.

Moving on to a happier section. Let me just say simply what my tattoo is. This won't take long.

1. My tattoo is a form of self-expression.

2. My tattoo makes me happy.

3. I am more than my tattoo.

4. I know that they're permanent. And I can't imagine myself without them.