Tattoos are a controversial subject, and most people do tend to have strong opinions of them. Though I've always considered tattoos as a form of art, it never really struck me that a tattoo could possibly count for something much more than just an aesthetic purpose. But one thing that came to my notice as I grew older was that people with tattoos did come across questions and comments concerning their work of art. If tattoos are a personal decision, then why does one have to justify any sort of unwanted remarks? Why would anyone want to hear something they truly adore being criticized and interrogated? Something that makes this even worse is the fact that people believe that if something is visible, it's open for discussion.

Yes, most people do choose to get a tattoo somewhere visible, but that does not give anyone the right to create a topic of discussion. They only chose to do so because that's where they believed that the tattoo held great significance in context to where the art should really be. I myself have had so many people come up to me and question my ink.

"Why would you do it?”

"You ruined your beautiful skin."

"You wouldn't put a bumper sticker on a Porsche."

From my childhood days, I knew exactly the type of adult I wanted to be. The thought of permanence has always been irresistible to me. I think that's why I get tattoos because I'm so terrified of forgetting the experiences, the pivotal moments and emotions that have shaped me into the woman I am today.

The way my parents chose to bring me up was making me believe in the idea that life is nothing but the decisions we make. Today, I can proudly say that I am all my decisions, and if it took every choice I've ever made for me to become the person I am today, then I'm glad this is how it all ended.

I know that the ink would fade away with time and I'll evolve as a person as I grow older, but something that keeps me going back under the needle is the fact that, after those two hours, though the pain is gone, the art still remains. My tattoos aren't for you. They're for me. I believe that tattoos are a way of portraying freedom of thought and my ability to I hold myself responsible for the choices I've made. My tattoos are a way of reminding myself of what I love, something worth getting injected into a bodily shell most people aren't comfortable in. They're a way through which I choose to wrap myself in reminders of the chapters of life I've lived; they're the best way I tell myself that I wear my heart on my sleeve.