My Wonderful New Tattoo And Tool

My Wonderful New Tattoo And Tool

One of my sisters has a tattoo machine and has tattooed herself a few times with it. She isn’t looking to change careers; she is happy being a nurse. The machine was her husband’s before he passed last year. The first tattoos she gave herself was ones that reminded her of him.

Well, in August I went on a vacation with my family. In between the actual vacation and my flight, I stayed at her house. This was so she could tattoo me. The original idea was a simple tree on the inside of my upper arm. It would be a remembrance tattoo for my brother who passed last year. (Yes, there were multiple deaths in my family in August 2019.) As we discussed it she mentioned that it would be the first tattoo she gave someone else. It was quickly decided we would start with an easier and less painful tattoo.

Now, it wasn’t like I just came up with my new tattoo on the vacation. I have a list of tattoos I want to get. My “love boldly” tattoo was just going to be after Chris’s tree. However, things didn’t work out that way and I got “love boldly” before the tree.

When I first painted this symbol something clicked, as though my eyes opened in a new way. This is what I need to remind myself daily. This is what I need to focus on. I need to love boldly. For me, that means to love without fear or holding back. Jesus loved the world boldly and I should try to imitate Jesus, right?

My “love boldly” symbol gives me permission in a way to free myself from myself and just love those around me. It reminds me that sometimes I need to get out of my own way and just help people or love them in whatever way they need it. Now it’s on my arm, so I guess I have to make sure I’m always boldly loving those around me. What a wonderful tool.

My Wonderful New Tattoo And Tool
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Where I wear my Heart (A Poem)

poetry

I don’t wear my heart on my sleeve.
It is not on a piece of clothing that I wear.
My heart is easily concealed
and easily shown
on my claves
and on my chest,
painted with pain
each part properly placed.

Here is my family
always a part of me
like a vine of flowers
on which I stand,
first known and first inked.

Here is my claim
that I love God and he me,
the closest to my heart,
the hardest to make part,
shining what I believe
the easiest to see.
Love is at the center of the cross.

Next, let me show you
my smile.
The only one of my inked on hearts
that speaks clearly its words.
‘We’re all mad here,’
it smiles
reminding me, always,
that everyone is crazy
in their own special way,
so keep on smiling
because you are crazy too.

The last for now,
my truest of true heart
blossoms forth
beautifully claiming
each friend then and now
whether at my center
or closer to the start
has created my heart,
either with love or with hate
and will forever be part of me.

You see I do not stand alone.
I stand on my family,
supported by my friends
with God at my heart
and a smile always near by,
so I inked them with pain
as a reminder
and a claim
that no matter what happens
everyone
in my life and in my heart
in at least one way will never part.