I’ll be the first to say that some tattoos make me cringe, and whether it’s appropriate or not, people are often too judgmental of the tattoos they see on others. Some people choose to get a tattoo because of something meaningful to them, some just like the way it looks, and for others it’s a form of art. It’s all about personal preference.
I never thought I’d get a tattoo, and I never wanted one. I didn’t like the way they looked, I didn’t want to regret it, and I’m too much of a baby to handle the pain. Yet this past summer, I reconsidered–I was going through a lot of changes amidst getting ready for college, and was really focused on surrounding myself with positivity in general. I started covering my bulletin board with quotes and saving inspirational posts and photos on my phone as little reminders throughout the day. Then, I decided that I wanted a more permanent reminder, as these seemingly small and trivial things really made me happy.
I was a bit nervous to tell my parents I wanted a tattoo because I wasn’t sure they’d like the idea, but my mom loved it and its meaning, and is actually considering getting the same herself. I don’t think my dad actually believed I’d go through with it until I already had. Nevertheless, after many debates with friends and drawings with my mom, I decided to get a symbolic “cup-half-full” tattoo. Ultimately, I figured that the pain was nothing I couldn’t handle, I wouldn’t regret it, and I actually really liked the way it looked. I found the perfect place—the inside of my left middle finger, constantly visible to me but a bit hidden from the rest of the world.
I don’t regret getting the tattoo one bit, and it’s tiny enough that I don’t think I ever will. To be quite honest, I’ve gotten used to it so it doesn’t hold the same constant level of meaning, but when I do pay attention to it, it feels like my own little personal reminder. The select few who’ve noticed the tattoo all make the same joke, asking if it could also be a cup-half-empty. Though this gets a bit old, I smile and tell them that it’s up for interpretation. :)