A Real Story
Karly, not her real name, has provided me with the answer as to why she had a tattoo and how it reached 20 inks all over her back.
She was the product of a broken home and has always felt inferior to her peers. Having tattoos was one of the ways she felt beautiful. Her first tattoo was a four-leaf clover on her right shoulder as a birthday gift when she was sixteen. Two decades have passed, and Karly has over 20 tattoos on her back. She says that each tattoo has a story, and it is a part of her life.
First Tattoo For Luck
The first ink was a clover, for she felt lucky at that time. It was inked in her favorite color, purple, and with that, Karly thought she could go on with her life amidst the broken family. Two years after that, she married the love of her life, which turned out to be a sham. Still, with a fighting spirit and sheer will to live, Karly fought back, and with every milestone after her abusive marriage, she immortalized it with a tattoo.
All Tattoos Have Meaning
Karly had an Arabic phrase inked saying, “I suffered, I learned, I changed.” She also traveled to places that her ex-husband forbade her to go. And in every country she went, she had a tattoo made in that place – mountains, trees, beaches, waves, and a heart for love. On her spine, since she loved Greek Mythology, she had about 14 Greek Mythology symbols. These symbols spelled out hope for her like love, family, unity, harmony, energy, marriage, union, life, and more. These tattoos were not just body art for Karly. It was a way for her to cope and to empower herself.
For other people, their reasons may be the same as Karly’s as to why they want to have a tattoo and how they chose their tattoos. Having a tattoo is a personal choice and is often subjective. Emotions and thorough planning can fuel it.
Tattoo As A Life-Changing Decision
Deciding to get an ink is a life-changing decision. The art on your body is permanent and will last forever. Sure, there is a tattoo removal surgical procedure, but why get a tattoo in the first place if you are going to remove it? This means that when a person decides to have a tattoo, they know that it will be forever.
Choosing The Right Tattoo For You
Here are things to ponder on when choosing the right tattoo for you:
- When you see the design you like, do not be hasty and have it inked immediately. Sleep on it for a night, and ask your artist to make variations in colors and size. How big do you like your tattoo, and where will you put it?
- You may also want something that has not been done before. An original tattoo which your tattoo artist can sketch for you is bold and empowering. You may spend a bit more, but at least, it is your idea, and the ink is for you alone. Do you want to be original?
- Be culture-sensitive when choosing your ink. This is a must.
- If you want letters or characters, not in English, make sure that it is written and spelled correctly. Or else, you will live in regret of that wrong tattoo.
- Imagine yourself ten years or 20 years from now. Would you still love that tweety bird tattoo idea?
- But if you want a cartoon character, then why not!? But again, make sure you want Mr. Bean on your skin even after 20 years.
- You need touch-ups every few years if you have colored tattoos. Be ready for that. Otherwise, it will look dirty on your skin when you do not retouch it. Are you prepared for it?
- Who cares what other people think? Get the tattoo you like, even if it is a dragon, serpent, rat, lion, flower, or the face of your boyfriend. It is what YOU think and feel, for that matter. (For ideas, you can check a reliable blog for tattoo lovers.)
Having a tattoo is not a sign of rebellion or worshiping the devil, and everything else is negative. This is such a misconception. Upstanding citizens of this world have tattoos – it does not mean they are bad people. Deciding on whether you want to have a tattoo or not is about self-expression, and if you wish to one tiny ink or have imagined filling your body with the art, then it is your decision alone to make.
