On Getting Tattoos

Given the way that I dress and how I carry myself, people that I meet and befriend half expect that I would at least have one or two tattoos by now, or question if I even had the idea of donning tattoos come to mind.

To answer that second part: yes, I have thought about it; it has come to mind many times. I have at least a dozen drafts somewhere out there of what I want to get etched on to my skin. I had enough to create a full sleeve and then some.

But I tore it apart and then threw them all out later.

I had the ideas of tattoos because, firstly, I thought it was cool. I thought that having one would make me belong to the “cool kids”. I thought that this was the kind of art I wanted to use to express myself. The sort of art that would allow me to show who I am without the elaborate charade of talking.

The main idea I had of tattoos is: “this is who I am written here on my tattoos”.

I thought that sketching things on my skin will show people who I am like the hieroglyphics on an Egyptian tomb; pretty much a caption to the image that I want to show. Then, later on, I thought a lot differently.

Languages are standardized enough to make communication a lot easier which in turn made tattoos into art; it no longer serves as the main means of communication. It  became art that should be displayed and admired (which could be hard itself since society requires us to be clothed all the time).

I also got tired of the idea.

And I thought: where is the fun in all of that? Where is the fun in projecting your identity onto someone with simple images? Where is the mystery?

I am not bashing on those who have tattoos. I just think that humans are way too complex to be expressed by a mere tattoo. And the mystery of the lack of tattoos will make everyone else a bit more curious about you. Like a blank piece of paper that you want to see amidst a pile of already used sheets.

And second: everyone has one.

There is this constant need to be different; to stand out amongst the crowd. So now everyone tries to design the most elaborate of design just trying to up the other. It looks cool and different and unique to some degree, until its not.

Every other person will then have one. It may not be the same tattoo, but everyone will all have tattoos. Then in the end, everyone will be the same.

Sometimes when I meet new people and see tattoos, I would automatically wonder what that tattoo means for them. Then I think: “maybe they just like owls”. Then I just skip that question altogether.

I guess its exciting for me to be “boring” now. People will begin to wonder: what is she like? What does she like? Then, you have to talk to me. Like actually talk to me.

Besides, I have scars. They are basically what tattoos are: scars. I already have them all over. They pretty much tell my story and I remember how I got them, for the most part anyway. Most of them exciting, some of them are just plain mehhh. But yeah, I contain enough stories not to etch a few maybe superficial ones. At least the scars were actual experiences that happened to me .

And I hope that I learn from them.