A lot of people have heard the saying, “you don’t put a bumper sticker on a Ferrari” or the phrase “you’ll regret it when you’re older,” these are obvious references to getting a tattoo. Both of these implies that we are cheapened or will feel regret after putting a piece of art on our bodies. I know some people regret their tattoo(s) and have a great reason to whether it was botched, the placement is off, or they got it while drunk, but most people love what art they have decided to put on their bodies. Another thing that people who judge others with tattoos don’t realize is that to a lot of us those tattoos are not just pieces of art, but survival badges we’ve earned throughout life.

Everyone has their struggles in life and sometimes it's to the extreme that it leaves battle scars behind. Whether the tattoo is to cover the battle wound or highlight it, a lot of people have a greater meaning than rebellion behind their tattoo(s). A friend of mine recently got a tattoo to highlight a battle wound of hers. It was well done and placement was perfect, but it didn’t stop someone from telling her that she shouldn’t have gotten it. In that moment she was a melting pot of emotions. She felt hurt, angry and annoyed that someone had the nerve to tell her, “you shouldn’t have gotten it.” I get that everyone has a right to their opinions and that tattoos aren’t for everyone, but no one has the right to tell you what you can and cannot put on your body.

Another reason a lot of people get their tattoos is in remembrance of someone or something they love. For example, you see tattoos of loved ones faces or dates of birth that people get to remember someone that is/was so important in their lives. I know parents that have their kids’ dates of birth, hands, or feet tattoos on them that they wear as a badge of honor to show that they are proud parents. That does not mean that you can’t be a proud parent without doing so, it just means that you should not judge the parents who decide to get that tattooed. Others get a tattoo to remember a loved one who has passed. That leads some people to say things like “they’ll always be in your heart” or “they wouldn’t have wanted you to get that”. It isn’t up to anyone else if they want to put a piece of art on their body in remembrance of a lost loved one then let them be. I personally got a tattoo as a symbol of faith after going through a trying time. One of the first comments I got on it was, “what about on your wedding day”. My response, on my wedding day I will be just as proud to show it off then as I am now.

All of this being said some people just love having art on their body because it looks cool and its as simple as that. Whether someone has gotten tattooed on a whim because it looked cool or they had a deeper meaning behind it, no one has the right to tell them that they’ll “regret it when they’re older.” As long as they are happy with it, its none of anyone else’s damn business. So next time you see someone covered in tattoos or see someone with a couple of them don’t go up to them and tell them how dumb they are for getting it or that when they are old and wrinkly it’ll look bad because that’s most likely not the case..