Tattoos are a growing trend in this day and age and usually, people tend to question, " Why did you get that" or " What does that mean to you?'. There are those cases when sometimes a person just gets a tattoo based solely of the way it looked or they liked the particular piece of art or style, but I tend to go a little bit more in depth.

Tattoos to me are a form of therapy due to the fact that they can tell a particular story. May it be from a certain day in my life, a quote from a letter, or a piece of art that represents my feelings, all of my tattoos have some sort of deeper meaning. After I got diagnosed with bipolar disorder, I saw a countless number of therapists, but I personally felt no connection with them nor did I have the urge to tell them my life story or any of the particular problems I could be facing.

For some reason, I had the urge to tell them story through tattoos. Have people be able to look at me and wonder what a particular piece means. Something about that interaction makes me feels more personal rather than me sitting across from some stranger mumbling words that I know they want to hear.

For example, I have the date I was diagnosed with bipolar disorder tattooed on my shoulder, I also have quotes from a letter my dad wrote me, as well as a poem I wrote. All of these tattoos hold some meaning to me. The fact that they are permanent only makes them more special because I know they will be with me forever and I'll look back when I am older and know why I got them.

Tattoos are a form of art. They may have a bad reputation to the older generation, but to some, they are really a form of therapy and expression. They spark conversations and create relationships with people you may have never thought you encounter or walk up to. There are so many different styles and cultures associated with them as well, so just the different backgrounds are a new awakening in itself.

I can write poetry and stories to express my self, but those are only shared with a select few. Tattoos give people the ability to share the ideas and feelings with anyone they encounter and I find peace in that. If you take the time and really think about what you want, in the end, you will create a beautiful piece of art.