To be honest, I've never wanted a tattoo. When I was in high school, I made up my mind that I would never get a tattoo because I didn't think they were really "for me." I had this notion that I couldn't pull one off, that I would instantly regret getting one the second the tattoo gun hit my arm, leaving me in a whirlwind of second thoughts even though it was too late. Yeah, I was 100% certain that I was never going to get inked. How in the world could I put something permanent on me? Something that would be there forever? And not to mention, it looked absolutely painful. No, thank you.
But after high school, I was more open-minded to the idea of possibly getting a tattoo. I was always cool with them, I never thought they were "trashy" or "stupid" or a sign of rebellion. There were some really neat tattoos out there that had a story behind it, had meaning to it and meant so much to that person. Well, minus the people that get tattoos of the McDonald's logo on their arm ( ...yes, I have seen that. And then again, maybe they just really, really love fast food), but I digress. It all started out when I got my belly-button pierced, and then I got my nose pierced, and then I got my cartilage pierced. Though all of those things were removable, a tattoo wasn't. Still, I suddenly had an urge to get a tattoo — and I can mostly thank Tumblr for that one.
I already had a couple of ideas in my head for what would be the most perfect, ideal tattoo for me. There was a pine tree, which symbolized my extreme love and appreciation for nature and how I loved adventure. There was a tiny sun, to say that, "Things would always get better no matter what," and then there was the word "wanderlust," because for me, I can't stay in one place. I get bored easily and ever since I was little, it was my sole mission to travel the world and see new sights. Everything always seemed endless to me, and the possibilities lacked boundaries. I had adventure running through my veins, and I still do; that's why I got the tattoo of the word "wanderlust" put on me.
I had it placed on my side, and I have loved it ever since day one. Yeah, I'm making it sound like I'm talking about an actual, real life thing, but that's only because I love it more than I thought I would. It holds a lot of meaning to me, because every time I see it, I remember that there is a world out there and I won't stop exploring. Another detail I should mention is that "wanderlust" is in a typewriter font, showing that I am a writer and that writing is also one of my many passions that I hold near and dear to me. The combination of literature, creative writing, and traveling is the perfect way to express who I am, and in one word, my favorite: w a n d e r l u s t.
Wanderlust has always been an important word to me and has always been strongly used in my vocabulary because it's so beautiful to say, for one. I love how it rolls off of the tongue, so exciting and spontaneous and free. Secondly, it's who I am. I don't mind it one bit that's it's going to be apart of me forever.
I was never worried that I would regret it after I had it done, because I knew that it's what I wanted. My tattoo is beautiful, inspirational, and motivational -- that's what it means to me. 
... I'm also planning to get another tattoo really soon, and it's going to be a semi-colon ;)
