"I don't want to die without any scars."
Chuck Palahniuk - The Fight Club
A blogging friend of mine recently wrote about the design he has selected for his tattoo. He seemed excited about the upcoming piece of body art and asked his audience for their thoughts on tattoos. Did they have one? Had they ever thought about getting one?
Though I went through a phase when I considered getting a tattoo, I never did and, frankly, I'm glad now that I didn't. Tattoos are permanent and that bothers me. I would have to care passionately about something to have it etched into my skin. Everything changes so what is important now may well fade in importance as I move on through life. Do I really want to always be reminded of who I was back then?
I also don't like the colors that I have seen on tattoos. For the most part, they are creepy to me. Perhaps that is simply related to being a little kid and noting tattoos on people (mostly men) who seemed frightening to me. The colors seem dark and haunted.
I will say that I do like scars. I have several and I wear them proudly. They say to me that I endured (and, in one case, survived) major pain and they mean I was, at one time, broken but now am functional (if not whole) again. Tattoos? Tattoos don't have that meaning to me. About the only tattoo that appeals to me now would be one that I would get to physically hold a loved one who has died.
But, that is me. Hats off to anyone who wants and gets a tattoo for their own reasons.
I do admit they can be somewhat cliched - unless you get one that is extremely person to you and one in which the meaning holds a deep significance. Those are the two things that led me to the decision to get one. But I definitely understand why a lot of people won't get them!
ReplyDeleteAnd I certainly applaud anything that brings significance and/or joy to another person. My brother has the coolest tattoo of the family crest on his upper arm - a tattoo that he got in tandem with his adult son. Very cool!
DeleteYeah, I'm not too into them. I do have a friend who lost a sister. Her, her mom and her brother all got the same flower tattoo in memory of her. That, I think, is beautiful. But for me, there's nothing I can think of that I'd want etched into my skin.. I'm not a huge fan of needles either, so tattoos just aren't for me.
ReplyDeleteYes, a friend of mine who lost her 18 month old daughter to cancer chose a sweet and inconspicuous tattoo so that her baby could always be with her. I understood that.
DeleteA student once asked me what I personally thought of tattoos. In the context of asking if I'd ever get one. I explained that having something etched permanently into my skin was not something I wanted. I have a rather personal disdain for them, and that showed through in my answer.
ReplyDeleteThe girl then defended her tattoos. Now, she hadn't asked about what I thought of other people getting tattoos. If she had, I would have told her that such things are personal decisions, and I make no judgments about what other people choose to do with their own bodies.
I don't get the allure. But, if other people want tattoos, then more power to them.
Amen!
DeleteI agree with you about the permanence of the tattoo. That is a big deterrent for me.
ReplyDeleteMy younger son, my daughter-in-law (Joe’s wife) and my ex-husband each got a personally meaningful tattoo in honor of Joe.
I think if I ever decided to get one, it would have to be put in a spot where I couldn’t see it. I say that because I think it would be constant distraction for me. You know it would be something that didn’t belong. I would be like, “what is that thing on my arm?” I would be always trying to brush or wash it off.
Yes, I get that - I can understand getting a tattoo to honor and keep the memory of someone gone. For me, it would also be something inconspicuous and not too visible.
DeleteI just had a conversation with my daughter about tattoos. I have two of them and I regret them both. What seems like a great thing when you're 20 looks kinda silly, not to mention sort of green and faded when you hit your forties.
ReplyDeleteThat's pretty much how I see it, Pamela. What looks good now, does 't always look good later. I have four ear piercings on one side and five on the other and I still like them. Little tiny sparkly earrings for fun but, if and when I get tired of them, I can just take the earrings out and let nature take her course. But not so much with tattoos....
DeleteTattoos are not for me, not on my body. I love print fabrics. I REALLY love print fabrics, and tattoos remind me of print fabrics. But I do NOT want to wear the same print every day for the rest of my life. No matter how pretty. To each her own, but for me, no thanks.
ReplyDeleteI do have one tattoo--it was the one thing I purchased specifically for myself when I sold a piece of writing to a major magazine in 1998. I was so financially broke at the time that the rest of the money went for catching up things like the electric bill, etc. I was also in the middle of a messy (as if there's any other kind) marital separation at the time and it somehow felt empowering and self-affirming to get the tattoo, which is smallish and of personal significance to me. It has been fifteen years and I have never yet regretted it. I have sometimes thought of marking other moments of personal growth in this way, but have yet to take that leap.
ReplyDeleteAs for scars--of both the physical and emotional variety--a favorite song lyric of mine, from the Goo Goo Dolls' song "Name" gets it just right to me: "Scars are souvenirs we never lose; the past is never far."