Everyone has a moment, a defining time that changes them forever...

Everyone has a moment, a defining time in their lives that changes them forever...  The question I hear all the time, what in the world possessed you into getting your tattoo's?   Here's the thing, for the longest time I was so afraid of life, afraid of things that may or may not hurt me, for instance getting a tattoo, skydiving, para-sailing.  Then I realized four years ago, on an awful, awful day that life is passing us all by! Whether we go out on a limb and do crazy things, or sit and pray all day long for our safety, we are all going to die.  It's already figured out, already written, decided!  So instead of watching, and wondering what it would be like to get a tattoo, or jump out of a perfectly good airplane, I decided to just do them!  If it's my time to go.....it's going to happen, regardless of whether or not I'm sitting around watching time tick away, or I'm living life to the fullest.  

My first tattoo... I've had my first tattoo for 2 years now...Four years ago we lost a beautiful angel by the name of Megan Gore.  She is the daughter of my really good friends Jennifer and Andy.  She was just a teenager when she passed, enrolled in U.C.'s DAPP program.  Meg was a giver, she loved life, she loved people!  I've talked about her before....and we all questioned why she was taken.  Well, I felt really drawn to follow her example of volunteering, helping, and just loving others.  I wanted to always remember Meg and the person she was - the angel she is.  Meg loved Sunflowers!  A number of her friends were getting tattoo's, some sunflowers, some a heart with her name, some angel wings!  I wanted something different, unique.....like Meg.  So I had my neighbor (who is an awesome artist) draw out a tattoo to represent Megan!  So of course we put the sunflower on it.  Meg would also say the quote "Sterger On"...well if you didn't know her, you would wonder what in the world it means..  But those of us who knew Meg knew that "Sterger On" meant "No Regrets" backwards.  With me deciding to start living my life more like Meg, volunteering, etc,  I would have to start living by that rule....no regrets.... Sterger On....keep on going!  So I had "Sterger On" incorporated into the tattoo.  It is on my lower back...yeah yeah yeah, I know tramp stamp...well, the lower back is also thought of to be the storage place of a person's spiritual energy, and to get a tattoo there was thought to help in releasing and harnessing a person's energy!  If I was going to live more like Meg...I would need this energy.... People love this tattoo!  I've shown this tattoo to so many people that I've become rather proud of it...instead of embarrassed about showing my back...yikes...My tattoo was drawn and inked  two different times, the sunflower by Jherek - and the "Sterger On" by Nick the Tailor - at Beelistics Tattoo's..(in case you are wondering). 

So on to tattoo number two.... the Fleur-de-lis...or Lily Flower has three petals that represent the Holy Trinity and a band at the bottom to represent Mary.. It sits on my upper back, between my shoulder blades, which symbolizes strength, it also symbolizes something that is behind us, but never forgotten.   Five years ago New Orleans was basically destroyed by hurricane Katrina, it is still not completely rebuilt.  I have been twice helping rebuild New Orleans with Give Back Beyond Cincinnati, and the Habitat for Humanity.  The Fleur-de-lis is the official symbol of the state of Louisiana, it is a symbol of support for New Orleans' recovery, and has been tattooed as a memorial of hurricane Katrina on many New Orleanians.. This year on the bus on our way to New Orleans I was speaking with some "NOLA" friends (people who have made the trip before) and learned that some of them had gotten the Fleur-de-lis tattoo together as reminder of New Orleans the people and the work that had been done.  A friend of mine named Jesse showed interest in getting one... (we were supposed to go in three's...but everyone chickened out) anyway, Jesse and I decided to get them, to remember NOLA and it's place in our hearts, when we arrived in New Orleans to work, we kept talking about it, but was sort of unsure....after working a week in a tropical storm, we decided to get the tattoo.  We found a place and walked from Bourbon street to get our ink.  It was a blast, we had the same Fleur-de-lis tattooed  on our backs, (except Jesse's is bigger than mine)..Now we are members of the NOLA tat Club...  We had them tattooed at Aart Tattoo by Brad.  

Last but not least...Tattoo number Three... Is a dragonfly on my right foot.   Why a dragonfly?  Well, I have the dragonfly for several reasons...the first one being in memory of my Grandmother...Pauline, she is part Native American..the dragonfly was a totem animal spirit guide, it represented change and wisdom, the need to tell of dreams and wishes for yourself.  It could supposedly guide you and help you make your wishes a reality.  Since the dragonfly has such a short lifespan, it also is looked upon as a reminder for us to live life to the fullest.  I am trying to do just that...live my life to the fullest, since we are never guaranteed another day.  Sean from Beelistics Tattoo's gave me this one.

So far this is all the artwork I have on my body...who knows what tomorrow will bring...they are sort of addicting...

"I must learn to love the fool in me the one who feels too much, talks too much, takes too many chances, wins sometimes and loses often, lacks self-control, loves and hates, hurts and gets hurt, promises and breaks promises, laughs and cries"