Our generation is a lot more accepting than generations in the past, however, one topic that remains controversial is tattoos. Whether it is the debate on whether the art makes someone look professional or not or the debate on what the ink will look like when you are old, there is rarely acceptance of the person's decision. Personally, I believe that this is ultimately not up to society to decide whether or not someone is qualified for a position based on their outside appearance.

It is not up to society to judge the values of someone because of what they decided to place on their body because ultimately, it is their body and not yours. Instead of judging someone's appearance and assuming they are some type of way just because of what may be drawn on their body, maybe society should ask the person about the meaning behind their decision. Therefore, for this piece I have decided to share some stories from people with tattoos.

I got this wrist tattoo when I was a senior in high school in memory of my old babysitter who I would consider my second mom. I was with her every day before she passed away, and she always reminded me to have faith in God and in everything I do. The "T" in faith is a cross always reminding me to believe in myself and to trust that God will help me to become a stronger individual no matter what.

My tattoo is a reminder of my favorite song "Wonderwall" by Oasis. In the wings of the bird is the chorus, which is "And after all, you're my Wonderwall." This song has helped me through many hard times in my life, and knowing that I have a part of it tattooed on me makes me so happy and I wouldn't want it any other way.

The meanings behind my wrist tattoos are very special to me. My last name "Oleksik" is something that will now be with me forever, even after I am married and have to change my name. My shamrock represents so many different things to me as well. My best friend and I have come to love St. Patrick's Day and celebrating it together has brought us closer together. It was also my Grandpa's favorite time of year and he is no longer with us, therefore, I love looking down and thinking of him.

This tattoo on my side reads "make it beautiful." For me, it is a reminder of a big change I went through, as well as my personal way of living. I decide every day to make my energy positive and beautiful. That no matter how crazy or hard life may get, I have the power and the choice to make my energy reflect how I want to be. It reminds me not to let the world affect my energy because my energy is all my own.

My sister and I had been talking about getting matching tattoos for a long time. Three years ago, I had made the decision to move from Michigan to California to pursue my dream job and before leaving it felt like the perfect time to finally get our tattoos. I'm extremely close to my sister and being able to look down at my hand and have a constant reminder of our bond means a lot to me, especially when we live on different coasts. I consistently get compliments on my tattoo and its placement, and always love telling the meaning behind it.

I got this arrow tattoo on my bicep because I have always been able to relate my life to them. An arrow can only be shot by pulling it backward, so when life is dragging you back with difficulties, this means it is going to launch you into something great. Arrows remind me to just focus and keep aiming to the future.

I have several tattoos, but one of my favorite pieces of my sleeve is the key of my hometown, Bremen, Germany. To me, it is the most beautiful city in the world. I was born and raised here and even though some may consider it quite criminal, I think it is an awesome place. I also have "family first" above the key to representing how much my family means to me.

I got my tattoo just over three months after my close friend Colleen died in a freak car accident. She was from Kansas, the Sunflower State, which is quite appropriate because she had this way of lighting up a room and making people smile even in the toughest of times. Whenever I had a difficult decision to make or had a lot on my mind, she would shrug her shoulders and say, "Let the Spirit move you," in such a reassuring voice that you knew everything was going to be okay.

This tattoo was a way for me to start to heal and to have a piece of her with me for the rest of my life. A lot of people say you'll end up regretting tattoos, especially when you get them in times of grief, but I haven't regretted it for a single second since. I look down every day, see the sunflower and her handwriting, and smile because I know she's always watching over me.

Even 11 years after the fact, her life and death has been one of the happiest yet difficult things I have ever endured. Growing up, she was everything to me and the day she died a piece of me died as well. The tattoo I have in her remembrance isn't one of my most intricate, but it is the one that means the most to me. I carry her figuratively and literally by my side every day.

This is my second tattoo of the three I have. I got it while accompanying one of my best friends to get her first tattoo. It is a lyric from the Twenty One Pilots song, "Truce." Music has always been a huge impact on my life, so why not have it engraved on me?

This summer I was traveling around Europe with some new friends and we all decided to get tattoos together in Dublin, Ireland. This compass represents traveling, adventure, and an experience I will never forget.

I drew this tattoo for the inside of my ankle because my Grandma loved butterflies. She meant a lot to me and I got this because it reminds me that she is always with me.

The "H" in hope is made up of a cursive 'J', the infinity sign, and a 'C,' that means Josh, my brother, and Courtney forever. I chose the word "hope" because I always have hope with me. I struggled with depression so it is a friendly reminder that there is hope to carry on to the next day. The star is next to this word because I love to stare up at the night sky. I also had my mom draw the tattoo, which means a lot to me.

I got this tattoo with my best friend because she is one of the most important people in my life. We are each other's anchor. We keep each other grounded, stable, and strong as we have been through everything together.

I chose to get this tattoo in memory of my uncle that passed away. The Tree Of Life: a link between Heaven and Earth, where its roots are planted deep into the ground and its branches are reaching up high into the sky.

My mom basically raised me on her own so I appreciate everything she had ever done for me. When I moved away to school I got this tattoo as a way to always have my best friend with me.

This tattoo is about my relationship with God. Sometimes I feel scared & have anxiety about life. I can look at this tattoo & know and understand that He is there with me and he is giving me the courage to go through whatever is ahead. It helps me have faith that I can overcome and accomplish anything with Him.

Timshel is Hebrew for "thou mayest." It is in the Bible when God speaks to Cain, saying when sin is at your doorstep you MAY turn away from it. But in saying you may, it is implied that you also may not. The choice is yours. It is not predestined what you will do, nor is anything you do decided by anyone other than yourself. When I read about this in East of Eden, it made me realize that although it is not necessarily your fault if bad things happen to you, it is on you whether or not you want to let the bad things overtake you.

Mumford and Sons has a song called "Timshel" and in it they sing about someone who has been through hard times. They say they are there to offer help, but "I can't move the mountains for you." I've had many bad things happen to me against my will, but I realized that I have to work to make sure I don't just wallow in all the negativity of life. People are there to help, but you have to decide to help yourself first. That's why I got this tattoo, written in 4 different handwritings of the people who have helped me help myself.

I have liked tattoos since I was 15 and I got my first one at 21. My son was born in 2011 and I knew that one day I would get a tattoo "for him," but what? His name, his picture? I couldn't decide. Then I found "The day you became mine, I became yours." In my opinion, there is no greater love than the love between a parent and their child, and my tattoo represents that. My son and I will always be connected no matter who we meet, no matter where life takes us, and no matter what obstacles we have to overcome. Being a Mother has been an incredible journey for me, and I am proud to show off my son, and my tattoo.

My Grandma, Maxine, died when I was about 10 years old. We weren't particularly close. When she died, my Mother was extremely overwhelmed. This was her last living parent, and when everything was said and done, she found herself sitting in her car flooded with anxiety. A white butterfly flew passed her window and suddenly, she was overwhelmingly calm. She knew it had to be Maxine letting her know she was safe and no longer in pain. So, now, whenever a white butterfly makes itself known to us, we know she is checking in. She showed up when I started dating my last boyfriend, days when I had auditions, and mornings when I was combating my worst anxiety. The three lavender initials on the body stand for Maxine, Kimmy, and Cindy (my Mom). It's my reminder that I am surrounded by women who love and support me no matter what, and whom I can always find peace in.