I'll start this off by telling you all that I've been drawing on myself for a VERY long time. Now, I know that sounds weird and makes you all wonder why the heck I'd start an article with a story that probably ends with ink poisoning, but it's because all that sharpie on my hands/arms/legs/etc. made me love tattoos from the start. I would stare at the art I'd created for as long as the ink would stick around and wish that- if it was good- it would stay there forever. The idea of having art permanently on my skin made it seem like it could become a part of me, and I wanted that more than anything.

Since basically forever, tattoos have had a pretty bad reputation. It's so easy to hear the horror stories like, "I got my girlfriend's name tattooed on me when we were 18 and she broke up with me the next day," or, "I don't even remember how I got this one." You see terrifying sleeves you'd never get and are constantly reminded by adults that, "tattoos are there forever." I've even gotten the comment, "I don't want you to be known as the girl with all the tattoos," which confirmed every one of my ideas about the negative reputation tattoos have. They're widely known as regrets, mistakes, and how kids rebel against their parents when they're 18, but what about the fact that they are still ART.

The art of tattoos, in my eyes, is pretty awesome. Through them comes a huge opportunity for individual expression, meaning, and mindfulness. You can create an idea or a picture so beautiful, and not only have it with you, but ON you forever. Now that's cool. The meaning and mindfulness come with the actual tattoo you choose- whether it's a bouquet on your shoulder blade or your family's birthdays on your arm,hopefully whatever you have means something to you. If not, having it will teach you very quickly the weight of having something forever- and that's a good lesson for better or for worse.

Now to the good part; yes I have tattoos, and no I don't regret them. I get told all the time that I “don't look like the type of girl to have tattoos," and most of those I wonder what the heck that's even supposed to mean. Whether I should be upset or happy that I don't seem like the “tattoo type" will always be a question to me because, guess what, having tattoos ISN'T A TYPE. I don't care whether you ride cross-country on your Harley Davidson or live quietly in your Kia Soul, whether or not you have tattoos is UP TO YOU. I do realize we're starting to do better and being “the girl with all the tattoos," is starting to become cool but I refuse to keep quiet about it all until it's cool AND more socially acceptable.