Tattoos are pieces of significant artwork that garnish bodies permanently. Often times, tattoos have very deep meanings associated with them. Seeing a tattoo and learning about the story behind it is a quick way to really learn who someone is and where they have been. Here are some small tattoos with big meanings behind them:
“Alex and I have been best friends for 13 years and counting. We are opposite in many ways, but her weird matches my weird perfectly. I’ve always been transfixed by the moon, and she identifies more by the sun. We chose these tattoos because we like the images, but they represent so much more to us.”
“The words “pass me a bottle mr. jones” are lyrics from the Counting Crows song Mr. Jones which came out in 1993. This song is my favorite of all time for a few reasons.
A ) Growing up with divorced parents, my older brother and I would spend our summer at Flaming Gorge with our dad. This song was extremely popular when I was about 3 or 4 years old, and I remember sitting on the bow of the boat on my dad’s lap, looking up at the stars, and listening to this song with him. This particular line in the song is my favorite because I remember how my dad sounded singing it when I was a little girl.
B ) Mr. Jones was written by the Counting Crows as a satirical piece. The song tells the story about the singer, Adam, and his friend Mr. Jones who are trying to become famous so that they can be happy. However, the lyrics are actually poking fun of the notion that our society operates on the acceptance of others. The real message is that you don’t need other’s validation in order to be happy and love yourself.
C ) This message was extremely important to me two years ago when I got the tattoo, as I was ending a long term relationship. This marked a period in my life where I was experiencing a lot of radical change and was learning more about who I was and who I wanted to be.
D ) Every time that I’m feeling down on myself or down on my relationships with friends, family, or SO’s, I have a reminder that I am the one that holds all of the power to my own happiness.”
“I got this small tattoo of a sunflower to represent my grandmother Annie who passed away a couple years ago. The tattoo may be small but the meaning behind it is so big. She was and still is a huge influence in my life. Her strength and positivity influenced me to be who I am today. I got a sunflower to represent her for two reasons. One, she grew a huge garden full of them and growing up as a child that is something I connected with her. Second, the sunflower represents joy, high energy, and loyalty which is everything she was and what I strive to be.”
“This tattoo was of an endless knot, but the bottom bit of it has rubbed off. I do not mind in the least bit though, because I did not get this tattoo to show off to the world, I got it for myself as a reminder that although the world is a giant place, I make a difference and matter in the lives around me. The endless knot is a symbol that signifies everyone’s lives being intertwined. Every single person you meet and come in contact with on a daily basis has their own struggles and you can either make their lives better or worse. This tattoo reminds me that I need to make a positive impact in the lives of everyone I encounter because a simple act of kindness could change their life. It also reminds me that my actions have consequences, no matter how small.”
“I have always been obsessed with water. I grew up believing that I was a mermaid (and still kind of believe it to this day). I spent my childhood living about 20 minutes from a beach, and water always reminds me of home. I got this tattoo when I moved to Utah because I would be in a landlocked state. The waves would always remind me of home and where I came from. There are three crests on the wave to signify the three people who helped shape me into who I am today; my mom, dad, and grandma. The waves remind me to be like them, constantly moving in my life, never stagnant. I also love the healing and rebirth that is associated with water (think baptisms, etc.). This tattoo also represents the idea that whoever I am and wherever I am in life, I am always able to change myself and become something new.”
“I dedicated this tattoo to myself and the baby I lost a few years back. It took a lot for me to stop blaming myself for something I had no control over. Thanks to this little reminder I learned to love my body the way I always should have and to not worry about things that I have no control over. My tattoo is a reminder to carry love in my heart everywhere I go. It’s my little reminder to love myself above all, no matter what, and to show compassion for all.”
“This tattoo is in my mother’s handwriting from her inscription on the last Mother’s Day card she gave me before she passed away. The lily of the valley was her favorite flower. It’s definitely the tattoo that means the most to me…”
“There is a line in the book, The Little Prince that reads ‘It’s the time you spent on your rose that makes your rose so important… You’re responsible for your rose.’ Not only is this my favorite book, but my favorite quote of all time. This tattoo reminds me that it will be the time and effort that I put into my relationships with others that will help them grow and keep them healthy and strong. I am responsible for my own happiness and strength, and I can find that through the relationships that I have with others.”
“This tattoo signifies a lot. First of all, it covers up my self-harm scars from when I was suicidal. It also represents balance in my life. The yin is no bigger than the yang and vise versa. They’re perfect alt balanced and that’s how I’d like to see my life, though it’s hard at some times I like to see myself well balanced and it’s a reminder that I’m a lot more than I used to be. Plus it looks cool and I wanted it since I was 13 drawing it in sharpie and henna hahaha.”
Tattoos don’t have to be huge and eye-catching to carry a world of meaning. It is often the smallest things in life that end up influencing us the most.