Tattoo Me

Yes, I will be getting a tattoo. I have always wanted one- a tiny drawing on my back, my ankle, my foot. But I was scared to take that step and actually do it. I almost did during our honeymoon. There was a hut at our resort in Moorea right on the beach. You could sit in a foldout lawn chair and watch the waves while getting inked. I worried about cleanliness. I didn't know what image to get- so I passed.

So much later...the cancer. The scars on my chest- ports for chemo, mastectomy, an armpit carved out. I look at my scars- so much better than what they once were- and I wonder, "why was I afraid of a little old tattoo?"

So I am getting one. Not an entire sleeve. Nothing on my neck. No, no, no. It will be pretty- and not very big. Well, bigger than I thought- but nothing garish. I want colors, and fine lines, and hardly any black. No skulls, no open wounds, no devilish creatures. Pretty flowers. Pretty leaves. Each one with meaning.

Now I just need to find the right artist. That is proving to be harder than I expected. So many mediocre tattoo artists out there. So many bad tattoos. I have looked through so many portfolios, I am beginning to recognize artist's work. But that doesn't mean I want them tattooing me. I am still searching...