Tattoos!

Hey Steemers!
I want to write a post about my tattoos and tattoos in general. I adore them, and have been painting 'em on since I turned 18. I have a small collection of four, each of which speaks volumes. That is my favorite thing about body art: the images share only a hint of the story. They are the beautifully- decorated cover pages of full blown novels. I'll share mine in chronological order :)

The Turtle, Tortuga, Honu

This was my first piece. I had it done my freshman year of college, almost as soon as I was of legal age to do so. I had thought about it for years prior to the actual inking. My rationale is this... My immediate family of four loves to travel together. We have cousins on the island of Maui, and used to visit them every other year. We would always combine these reunions with adventures on other Hawaiian islands. These places came to feel like home, and I can't remember a time where our family was happier.
My parents went through a trying time in their marriage that lasted for years. Eventually, however, they moved through it and are still together today. We consider these Hawaiian family vacations to be part of the reason that our family remained a unit, and I am so grateful for this.
Freshman year of college, one of my closest friends was a badass artist. I asked her to doodle a turtle with Polynesian designs on its shell, and this is what she came up with. Turtles are called "Honu" in Hawaii, and are considered symbols of good luck. I've rocked it proudly ever since. It's my banner of familial love and resilience.

The Incan Cross

The length of time between idea and inking was much shorter with my second tattoo. It's a bit addictive, I will admit. This image came to me on a trip to Peru- the first time I had ever left the U.S. This trip was taken with an organization called MEDLIFE that I became deeply involved with in college. Our purpose was to set up free medical clinics in areas without good access to care. While there, we had the opportunity to walk through a remote Andean village with a local gentleman. He talked to us about the Quechua language, indigenous culture, and life in the Andes Mountains. This symbol, the Incan Cross, took him about thirty minutes to explain. It carries such depth of meaning. For those interested, this link captures it very well- https://www.inkadesign.net/en/the-meaning-of-the-inka-cross-chakana/.
We saw these crosses everywhere- on churches, in jewelry, and (most notably) in the architecture of Machu Picchu. To me, it came to represent this trip as a whole. This trip was one of the most transformative experiences of my life, and I am honored to wear the cross.

Lyric #1

"Hopeless Wanderer" is a song by Mumford and Sons. They are the best band out there, and I won't hear otherwise ;) I became enamored with them on a road trip my junior year of high school. My mom and I traveled to the East Coast to check out colleges, and spent the better part of a week driving between states. We were given Mumford's first album, Sigh No More, by my uncle and played it on repeat. By the end of the week, we belted the lyrics in a perfect cacophony.
I have seen them live thrice, each time getting chills that lasted far too long. Their lyrics speak to my soul, and the raucous passion of their cadence awakens something inside me. "Hopeless Wanderer" is a song from their second album, Babel. It was released during my junior year of college, which was a time of travel for me. I embarked on another medical trip to Ecuador, then flew immediately to Italy to begin a study abroad program. I had the wanderlust bug, as do many crazy kids in their twenties.
"Hopeless Wanderer" speaks to me beyond my yearning to travel. For one thing, I cannot sit still for more than five minutes. I become restless, my legs twitch, and I cannot settle down without moving my body. I am also a nerdy learner- I ask far too many questions and am curious about damn near everything in this universe.
The tattoo is written in the handwriting of a dear friend from my travels, and was placed on my foot in honor of my favorite mode of transportation.

Lyric #2

... Did I mention I love Mumford and sons? This is a lyric from the song "Hopeless Wanderer". To me, it encompasses my journey through anxiety and anorexia. Anorexia is a conniving bitch, somehow convincing its victims that they are unbeautiful, and never good enough. In the worst of its throes, I was deeply unsatisfied with myself. I ached for better times, for a skinnier frame, for a different mindset. Anxiety is similar, as it leaves you in constant fear of all things hypothetical. You are never present in the moment, because you are always worrying about the possibility of negative change.
These two disorders kept me from my life, and the people in it, for years. I lost my period, romantic relationships, and a lot of freedom as a result. While I still struggle, I now accept that there is always something to love about my present tense situation. There is always something to be grateful for. I am unconditionally enough.
I put these words on my wrist as an ever visible, ever present reminder. They are written in the handwriting of my boyfriend, as he has played a profound role in helping me overcome.

So, rock those tattoos, you beautiful humans. Ask people for their stories, and allow yourself to be surprised by the multiplicity of meanings that come forth. Revel in the fact that these meanings change and deepen over the years.