Ink

Why in the world am I so enchanted with tattoos? Why do I love the idea of permanently (or at least semi-permanently) inking something onto my skin?

I have no idea.

BUT I have given it a lot of thought lately because of the Tattoo thread on one of the NaNoWriMo forums.

For those of you who are queasy at the thought of needles, disease, and up-keep, I'm right there with you. I don't have a phobia of needles, but I have to bring a book with me to the doctor's so I won't flinch when I get shots. I also fear the possibility of unsanitary conditions and having to get a tattoo re-touched.

...So why am I still leaning toward getting one (or several) eventually? (I won't say I WILL get one but I'm leaning toward it right now. That means, however, a lot of research, finding a great tattoo artist and paying out a lot of cash for a decent tattoo, all of which means I can in no way take this decision lightly)

I think the main reason is that I want a physical sign of my inner belief. I want things that mean something to me to be on display. This invites discussion, and gets me in with a crowd that I desperately love but might not have too much in common with.

It really is about displaying belief for me. I've been playing around with some designs today and I've found a few I'd be really, really happy to have.

I've also thought about getting white ink (it looks more like a raised scar), which is good for pale skin, but it needs more upkeep and honestly I'm not as thrilled about that. So we'll see. There are also pastel and color tattoos so I guess I'll keep those in mind.

I've thought about displaying faith before -- I imagine sometimes what it would be like to be in a place of prominence (TV star, writer, etc. HAHA. Well, you know. I can't help it) and I think about how I would like to appear - I'd probably always have a rosary handy, because once again, it invites discussion, but it takes me out of the picture a little because people can be drawn by it and ask and I don't have to shout from the rooftops that everyone's going to hell unless they repent. I can be kind, and gracious, and loving and wear something that people can see. Making faith visible is, as you can tell, really important to me.

That's why I love our Anglican church so much - the liturgy, the sacraments, the rosary, the robes, the cross, I love it all because it's symbolic and the artist in me delights in the expression.

So that's really why I want tattoos.

Here's a couple ideas I have, along with a short synopsis of what they mean.

1. Lamppost with the words "Into the Light" - The lamppost, of course, is a reference to Chronicles of Narnia, which were the first books I remember reading. They shaped my early childhood and later, I gleaned theology from them as well. They mean a lot to me, and I deeply respect C.S. Lewis for 'baptizing my imagination' with fantasy. "Into the Light" is my own personal motto.

2. A badger head with "Always" - The badger since I am in HufflePuff (there's a spiritual connection to this story but it is long-winded) and "Always" for Snape. Rowling has also helped me come to terms with the death of a loved one and is an inspiration for me as a writer (seeing as her beliefs are clear in her books). The badger symbolizes tenacity and Snape symbolizes the power of love - a greater magic than any other, as Dumbledore said.

3. A swallow with some words (haven't decided yet) - I had a dream about having a swallow tattoo above my knee with a pretty script in an oval around it, and when I woke up I was deeply disappointed that it was not there. Swallows, in Christian literature, symbolize the resurrection (since they return on Easter, according to medieval literature).

Those are the three I've been designing today.

Of course, there are fantastical ones (like the little fairy with "I Do Believe in Fairies" that I wanted at one point) that would be neat to have, but the above three are the ones I'm concentrating on designing right now.

You never know when you might need a tattoo design.