You've Got Ink!

Once upon a time I got inked.

A simple little phrase called "Love" - a double ambigram - on the inside of my left wrist. It was supposed to read "Love" forward and backward. When held up to a mirror, it read "Peace". Such an awesome piece of work ~ my niece has the same one.

Except....mine didn't turn out the way I planned and for years have gone around with a tattoo that looked like "2007". I kid you not! I was constantly asked what "2007" meant. One a few occasions someone would remark "2009", to which I would say, "No...2007". I finally just gave up explaining the "love" concept and conceded to "2007" and say it was just a bad year that I never wanted to forget (the part about the year...that's true).

Gathering up the nerve and the cash I headed to the Tattoo shop in April for a cover-up Tat! A Gerber daisy in bright, yet soothing, colors. Something that looked fresh and alive...to help me move beyond the darkness of grief and loneliness of 2010. Let me say...it hurt like HELL! There was one point that I almost passed out. The skin is SO THIN that it began to break down after 2 1/2 hours. We stopped and agreed to get back together to finish up after it healed. The tornadoes came and life and commitments kept me away until yesterday. Yep - it still hurt A LOT as she (Yes, my tattooist is a female), touched up color, edges and added the script "be brave, live life".

It's complete now. The flower and phrase remind me to be brave and keep going, no matter what!