This does not mean, of course, that my gratefulness has waned or my positive outlook has turned bleak. On the contrary, I feel like I have been too busy just being happy than talking about being happy. I will stop making excuses for my being AWOL though, and give my sincerest apologies for not continuing this blog as I should have. In any case, I will re-start now and hope that people will follow my lead and decide to start sharing again.
All my tattoos mean something to me. Now, at 31, I have 11.
11 tattoos. I know some of you are cringing. Some are secretly wishing they were brave enough to get one, and others just think I'm plain crazy.
Here's the thing. These tattoos remind me, time and time again that I have stories. I have been through situations both good and bad, happy and painful, to get to where I am right now.
I have stories. Isn't that enough to be thankful for? Can you imagine living a life of boredom, or too much safety, of not being able to have anything exciting to say about your past because you were too afraid of being hurt, rejected, made fun of?
I say screw that. When you are hurt, you become stronger, when you're rejected, you become more creative, when you're made fun of, you probably have the best damn idea out there--nurture it.
So anyway, I am thankful I have stories. I have reasons for living, lessons to look back on, hopes for the future.
Oftentimes, that's all you really need.
Erica, Manila
Oh, man! In the beginning I got a tattoo because it was the idea of having the ability to get one because I could!! Having totalitarian parentage, which would include my ILOCANO lola and her antiquated ways...it has hard to have an identity, a character that didn't jive with them. So when I left home, a moment I couldn't wait to happen, I was feeling a lot of things...especially liberated. And as the years passed, a lot has, did, have happened! A lot I had to accept that are/is/were out of my hands, but they did happen. And at first I didn't know how to forgive myself, get over them, accept that. I felt, I still feel like a repenting sinner...But my tattoos, not only remind me that THEY DID happen, but they are remnants of me...a resume of my life, chevrons of abilities. Confidence isn't just determined by our victories but also through and by our struggles and failures...our trials and tribulations. And that is a good thing. There's one big piece on my back that for awhile now, I had been wishing I got a little smaller...but thank you. That particular piece regards some very interesting times of my life...and it does remind me, my reasons for being, so thank you.
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