Something I hear often is, "How do you think those will look when your skin gets wrinkly," or something similar regarding my tattoos. Using that line of reasoning, I assume that you find wrinkly skin unattractive. I don't necessarily agree, but I understand what you're saying, and if aged skin is so unsightly then I guess I'm out of luck whether my wrinkles have art on them of not. I understand my tattoos won't have the same brightness and definition they had when I was younger, but hopefully I have better things to focus on. If that's my biggest concern, then I'm doing pretty well.
Another common question or concern I hear pertains to getting a job after I graduate. This always baffles me because if I were to work in a very conservative environment I would wear long sleeves whether I had tattoos or not. I've already faced this and dealt with it as I would any other work problem -- professionally. Maybe I will face a situation where a uniform calls for a polo shirt and my tattoos inhibit me from being hired. My creative writing major inhibits me from being a neurosurgeon and my short height means I can't pursue a career in runway modeling. I'm okay with these facts, and I will be okay with my tattoos if the other situation arises.
These questions, amongst all the others, boil down to regretting my decision to get tattoos. Life can be full of regret if you let it be. I can regret spending so much time in the sun and getting wrinkles and sunspots. I can regret the scar on my belly from a piercing that is no longer there. I can regret the toxic people I let into my life or the bad food I ate that hindered me from getting abs. I can, but I'm not going too.
That landscapes, florals, words, and symbols I spent months if not years considering and perfecting are significant to me and I'm confident in my decisions. I'm not saying people don't get random, spur of the moment, poorly chosen tattoos, but it's unfair to assume that's how it is for all of us. Tattoos are expensive, painful, and permanent and I've always respected that throughout the process. They are a part of me, but they are not my identity. I've formed my identity based on internal aspects of myself, not my physical appearance, as we should all attempt to do.
I love my tattoos, but it's okay if you don't. It's okay if you don't like my hair, or the clothes I wear. I can respect differences in opinion and taste because I'm happy with who I am regardless of what other people think. Desire to be accepted is natural, but I find reflecting on other's opinions only worthwhile when your character is in question. If it's about the way you look, if it pertains to tattoos or not, don't we all have better things to think about?
