Tattoo

I think enough time has passed where I can talk about my tattoo experience with a small bit of reflection and no amount of guilt that I am keeping someone out of the loop. If my readers didn't know I got a tattoo, because unlike some, I didn't post a picture on Facebook or Twitter as soon as I got it, well now you do. Surprise!

I got a tattoo over the summer. I went with my best friend and got the words "Momento Vivere" tattooed on my body. Yes, I am aware that it will be there for the rest of my life.
The Latin phrase Momento Vivere which means Remember to Live rang true to my ears and heart from the first time that my best friend and I talked about getting it. For the past five or so years I have known that I wanted to get (a) tattoo before I die. I had the idea of getting one with my two best friends when we read a book about a lady pirate who had a blue anchor tattooed on her hip. We LOVED that story, but even more so, loved the idea of getting matching tattoos together. Well, this summer one of my best friend turned 18 and the other one, who is not old enough to get one yet and slowly rethinking the idea of getting one all together told us that we should go ahead and get one anyways.

Now here's the thing future tattoo getters or critics. Tattoos hurt. But what hurts most is the amount of shit that you can get from your family and close friends for getting one. You see folks, I was dumb. I was scared that if I told my parents and sister and brothers they would try to talk me out of it. (Like any good family would try to do.) SO I got it with out their knowledge and showed it to them in the next two days. I was expecting some grumbling and snarly comments, but I was not aware of the full fledged war zone I had entered after getting my tattoo. It hurt more than ANY tattoo ever will. I have loved and trusted my families opinions, values and logic for my whole life and to have it tested for the first time in my life was really hard. I needed someone's support and yet, everywhere I looked I got a back-handed comment about how I hadn't thought it through enough. I was scared that suddenly they were going to love me less because of the 1/2 " black lettered font I had on my side.

The actual tattoo getting experience was GREAT My best friend and I bonded, laughed held each others hands nervously and walked out with the biggest smiles on our faces. I had a blast and will remember it for the rest of my life. It was also a memory and experience I should have had my family be apart of. I understand that now. They don't have so much of a problem with the tattoo anymore, (although my sister still calls it a Harry Potter Spell) but I can still see the distrust and fear they have that I won't include them in some of the life changing moments in my life. 

So for all you future tattoo enthusiasts, take my advice, and think long and hard about the tattoo you get, but mostly think about telling those you hold close.

Here are some pictures of me getting the tattoo and what it looks like afterwards. :)

I was SOOOOO nervous!

 This kinda hurt like a female dog, not going to lie.

The great thing about the place I got it is that it is very personal. No one would ever know I had it unless I showed it to them. I am really happy with it and am happy with the experience.

Not that I am thinking about getting another one any time soon... But if I were to get another one it would be of the Happy Buddha that is the logo for my family farm. AND I would ask my parents for their support in getting one.

So folks, Momento Vivere and have a great Wednesday.