For the most part, my friends and family have been supportive of my tattoos. Even if they're not the type to go out and get inked, they give me the "oh Kira's being...interesting" look and let me spend obscene amounts of money on body modifications. But every once in a while someone will ask me "why are you doing this? Why not get a nice piece of jewelry instead? You know it's permanent, right?"
No, I didn't. I just spent $200 to scrub away at my skin for an hour and freak out that the ink wouldn't come off.
The thing is, so many things that people say about tattoos could easily translate to questions about marriage. Think about it. "But you're so pretty!" "Think about how it will influence your future." "You know those things last forever, right?" "But it'll be so painful if you decide you want it removed."
Those are all legitimate things to say about a husband/wife. And let me tell you, weddings are a hell of a lot more expensive than tattoos.
I'm not trying to claim that marriages and tattoos are interchangeable, and I understand that committing your life to another human being is probably more meaningful than putting a tulip on your calf. But you shouldn't automatically assume that anyone who is inked is impulsive, obsessed with instant gratification, and/or part of a gang.
I got the om tattoo because I wanted to remind myself of everything that yoga has given me/can offer me. I want to strive to be peaceful, calm, and compassionate. The om symbol doesn't inherently give me those qualities, but it reminds me of the person I want to become. It's like a pep talk and art all in one. Two birds, one stone. Except don't kill birds; that's just cruel.
If in ten years I decide that it's stupid to have something that looks like a 30 on my shoulder, I'll tell my family that they were right. But until then, I'm allowed to rock some ink and not be considered a horribly impulsive person. Save that for when I decide to get a pixie cut (#never).
Namaste.
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