Tattoos

I have always thought of myself as open minded. BTW I hate when people start off sentences like that but bear with me here. ;0) I mean I practice Yoga and yet I am catholic. I firmly believe that God loves all of us and that we are entitled to be ourselves. We should not judge people as we do not live in their shoes. Certainly there are things that we should not tolerate at all as a society but you get my drift. Anyways, I have two (now three) tattoos which I love. It is interesting to see the prejudgements that people have about it. They really do treat you differently. My first tattoo is a beautiful butterfly which is on the top of my left foot.

I don't have a really good picture to post right now. I got that tattoo when I was in my early twenties. (Let me side track here and say that I met the WWE wrestler Billy Gun at the tattoo shop. He was so nice.) I was going through a rough spell at that time. (Think Brittany Spears drama)It was really weird I was so numb. I was just functioning. No joy, no sadness, nothing. I needed to feel something so I thought why not pain. Hence a tattoo on the foot. It was a good experience. I was hooked. I finally felt something.
The second tattoo is a fairy on my lower back. I decided to get it as I felt like I was floating through life, not enjoying it rather just flipping here and there. It is really in my opinion a cool tattoo. The fairy has brown hair with blond highlights like I wear my hair most of the time.
Now to present day. I got the UM symbol on my wrist. Now this is a big move for me. First it is a tattoo and Brad hates tattoos. Second, it is in a visible spot. I have to be careful in my work. Nothing like showing a judge a tattoo. But the UM mantra is big for me. It is essentially a reminder to me about being center. Sure it is a symbol of the life force. Which in my case is God. I need that reminder. I need to be center. I need something in my life to ground me. I need something that will remind me that someone(something) is in control and it is not me. I need that permission to be me and give the rest up. Does this make sense? If I am centered and reminded of this I don't panic. I do not live in overwhelm. I so hate overwhelm. I am not a good wife, daughter and mother when I am in overwhelm. So I was out to lunch at this wonderful sandwich shop. The shop happened to be next to the tattoo parlor that I had previously gone to. Before I knew it I was sitting in the tattoo chair. My artist name was Doug. Doug was so nice and really he understood my needs. He was very sweet. I realized that I have my own misconceptions. Here is this big intimating guy. Literally he was 6'2; overweight with a full sleeve and nose piercing. I fully expected for him to be harsh and make fun of little ol me. I mean really what is a 34 mother, wife, lawyer doing in a tattoo parlor. Then we started talking. He has an education in Finance actually he worked as a financial planner for many years tattooing on the side. He told me that he began to make more money as a tattoo artist and that is when he changed careers. Interesting right. He was nothing short than a teddy bear. I realized that I still have these prejudgements. Wow I need to change that. It was a great life growing experience for me. Isn't that great. I won't lie it hurt and Brad was super mad at me. I probably should have told him before I got the tattoo. :0) But do I regret it. No, maybe the timing and not talking to Brad bit but not the tattoo.

It is interesting the reactions that I have gotten. Since my other tattoos were easily hidden I rarely get comments about them. Sure the people that paid so much attention would say something. But that has been nothing since I got the latest tattoo on my wrist.. oh Nelly... . My grandmother was so funny she said it was just another way to identify my body when I am dead. My mom did not have a comeback to that. But you know what... it is OK. Maybe I will be a growing life experience for someone.