I’ve heard that once a person gets a tattoo, they begin the journey down the road of no return. Just one more….and then one more…and then an edit….and then, before you know it, you have an entire sleeve of colorful antics.
Well, I actually did get a teeny, tiny tattoo about 7 or 8 years ago. It’s of a sunburst with a shamrock in the middle (2 of my favorite things) and you haven’t seen it because it’s not really “viewable”.
I never really had a yearning to be inked again after that; not because of regret, though. My only reason for not was that nothing ever really inspired me to do so. Until now.
For the last several months, I’ve been thinking about specifics. The genre is easy but now the design is at play as my efforts at being artistically creative predictably fail. The ideas in my head are having a hard time translating to verbal instruction ~ the story of my life 🙂
How interesting that I’m finding the fortitude to do what I want to do without explanation to anyone. Years ago, I took out my minuscule, diamond nose piercing because I was attending a Naval dinner and I didn’t want anyone to judge my husband via my slightly rebellious adornment. That was a mistake. And for anyone who is silently saying to themselves “Amy had a nose piercing and a tattoo? What??”…well, yep. Maybe this gives you a little more insight into who I am.
I’m complicated. Who isn’t? But the thing is that the older I get, the less need I have to please anyone but me and God. I’ve learned that people pleasing is exhausting. I’ve learned that there are months (maybe years) of my life I won’t get back spent worrying about what other people thought of me which was often unfounded. Time spent worrying, wondering and dissecting. This was followed by time spent trying to change minds that never really mattered anyway.
I fell into that trap again last week when idle gossip about what someone was saying about me took me by surprise. I did, in fact, waste time consumed with it…but then I caught myself and realized it just didn’t matter. People talk. People embellish and people tell fibs to make themselves look better.
SO….all of this to say this. Be authentically you. The tattoo, the piercing, the quirks, the whole package. The God I believe in made me uniquely interesting and He “gets me”.
Be blessed!
Amy
I could not have said that any better! It took me a long time to develop the “I don’t really care what you think” attitude. I only try to please my “Daddy”…. He loves me just the way I am. I don’t have to defend myself against cruel judgement, or try to deny lies. He already knows my heart, and He already knows the truth, and that is all I need to survive in this world! You go girl….You are awesome…and so perfectly and beautifully made! Love you twinn =)