To Tattoo or Not To.
Tattoos have always fascinated me, I never had one but always wondered why people got them. I distinctly remember, when my children were about 3 & 4 years old respectively, going to the base Commissary in San Diego and a man who appeared to be in his 70's approached me and my children ( a frequent occurrence actually because they were both so blond, quite cute, and typically well mannered in public). He hesitated and although it was quite a hot day, he rolled his sleeves DOWN to cover up what appeared to be be naked ladies tattooed Popeye style, circa WWII on both arms. He was a very pleasant man and we had a nice chat then we all went on our way. The tattoos were very faded and his skin weathered and wrinkled with age and no doubt a lot of time at sea, they weren't very attractive by any stretch of the imagination and he seemed to be ashamed of them when in the presence of women and children. For years I used that story as an example of why NOT to get tattooed and it worked because my kids (as well as my Navy husband and myself) remained tattoo-free for many years.
My husband had considered more than a few times getting a tatt...like when 6 of his buddies on the USS White Plaines were killed in an explosion and the ensuing fire in May 1989, and in 2007 when he returned from a "boots on the ground" tour in Iraq with the Marines & Army (he was affectionately referred to as "NARMY"). He also considered getting his wedding ring tattooed because of his dislike of wearing jewelry, but alas he is still "clean" and tatt-free.
Many times I find myself asking people about their tattoos, I'd say more than 50% have them for a specific reason and the rest "just because..." Wow, committing to a piece of artwork on your body "just because" was not in my realm of thinking, sometimes it takes me up to a year to hang a piece of artwork in my home because it needs to be in the right spot, away from direct sunlight and in an aesthetically pleasing location. As a photographer I have small but growing collection of tattoo photos, but I learned very quickly that they are hard to photograph without looking like a a hunk of flesh with an ink drawing when in fact most are beautiful one-of-a-kind works of art.
As it turns out many of my friends have tattoos, and they have very specific reasons for having them: some thought for years about getting a tattoo and have special memories associated with that day spent with their father and then later with their mother (for a second tatt). One friend has one related to being a breast cancer survivor and another has five tattoos and writes:
"I have 5 tattoos and I love them all! I have one on my left leg in memory of my cousin Amy who died 2 years ago from Ovarian Cancer, it's the Ovarian Cancer butterfly and ribbon. It's my favorite. I chose that to honor her! I have 3 red stars on my left foot and the represent me, David and Chris. I have the infinity symbol on the inside of my left wrist that has the word Faith inset and also I have just added a cross, this represents my forever love for our Lord and savior Jesus Christ. I have the word Sister on my right foot. It's one of my favorite Dave Matthews songs and I am a sister to my sister Jennifer and brother Adam. And I also have a small tattoo at the base of my neck that has angel wings and the Hebrew symbol Chaim (sp) which means "To Life." Each of mine mean so much to me and I would not change the fact that I have them. I am planning on a new one this summer. I think I want to add some scripture to my butterfly on my leg and I want to do another one on my left rib cage. I think I want to do the Cord of three strands Ecclesiastes 4:12. I love my tattoos and will get a new one each summer, it's just my thing!
There are also friends of mine who would love to have a tattoo but fear of commitment or the thought of "all that pain" is enough to keep them away from the needles and ink. My friends range from the deeply religious and/or spiritual to agnostic....and the answer to the question of 'To tattoo or not to" is not as black and white as it may seem. I have deeply religious friends with multiple tattoos (see above) and others who hold to the "You don't see Ferrari's with bumper stickers" philosophy. While others who tend to be more free-spirited and far from being religious in any form who "don't see the need for that kind of thing." As I said before, I am fascinated by them and the reasons people have for wanting and actually getting tattoos.
Confession time...I have now have ONE tattoo! I thought about it for 5 solid months before even venturing in to a tattoo 'parlour' and the simple act of walking in was such a huge departure of character for me that I almost didn't go through with it. But you see the thing is I actually felt compelled to get it, and once I got it I felt a sense of being able to let go of so much pain and heartache that a healing in my soul began. By now you may have read my blog "Thoughts About a High School Shooting" which is about the day the school experienced the unthinkable. Many people immediately got tattoos in remembrance of that day and the lives that were lost, a local tattoo shop was offering a "special" which was the choice of one of five or six different tattoos at a discounted price. Well, let me tell you I did not rush out to get inked and the the thought of having one with the names and dates or that looked like someone else's was out of the question for me. I like custom jewelry and handmade quilts, my home is filled with artwork that is either of my family or by someone in my family so why oh why would I brand my body to look like everyone else? No, I thought long and hard before doing this, even prayed about it and one day it was clear to me as the Rocky Mountain sky.
Let me explain...as a sign language interpreter I am fluent in ASL and connected to the Deaf community and there is a sign that loosely translated means a "scar on my brain or scar on my heart" in other words....something that has deeply affected you and you will never forget. I needed to take that "scar" and put it somewhere instead of having it bounce around inside of me. After all I have a 15 inch scar on the side of my head that is the result of the removal of a 1 in a million tumor; it's there and it will never go away, some people pretend like they don't see it and others ask me about it and when they do I am more than willing to tell them the "Readers Digest super-condensed version" unless they want to know more. Well that day will forever be seared in my heart and in my mind, it is something that deeply affected me and I will never forget it, and I certainly didn't need a tattoo with names and dates to commemorate it. No, I chose a simple feather on the the top of my foot, no names and no dates, just a symbol much like my scar to remind me of how strong I can be. Most of the time it is covered by my shoes, just like my scar is covered by my hair, but when it is not and someone asks me about it I will give them the super condensed version.
Agree with me or not, it really doesn't matter. It is a part of who I am, the experiences God has given me and how I have dealt with them. The 'scar on my heart' is now a beautiful eagle feather on my right foot, the foot I lead with when I walk. Am I unafraid of what the future may hold? Not really, but I AM ready.
One of my favorite hymns is by Horatio Spafford and it starts with:
- When peace, like a river, attendeth my way,
When sorrows like sea billows roll;
Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say,
It is well, it is well with my soul.