memorial tattoo

[oldbaldguy]

I have been thinking about getting another tattoo, i have 3 now...my 1st one i got as a memorial when my little sister pasted away at 44 years old...it helped me heal, i designed it, it is a tribal/celtic design my interpretation of an angels wings surrounding my world, and when my AS turned 18 and wanted a tat... he liked the design so much that we went and got our first ones together... #2 was a portrait of my dad, his face in a leaf god design, a tribute to the strength i get from him, #3 is an armband in my version of a mauri style w/ some of the items in my life, lizards , for renewal... eyes... for insight and a vision... a saw blade because i love woodworking..... now i want another, it too is an addiction , i can't help myself ... i have wanted to imortalize my mom in ink but have not been able to find anything that fit the bill, until recently....as a kid i remember my mom had cast iron hot pad w/ sayings on them... one of them was the serenity prayer...so... i'm thinking about getting parts of the prayer inked as a band on my other arm... to say "God...Serenity...Courage...Knowledge" it would serve as a memorial to my mom and a reminder to me of the journey i'm on in recovery and the journey my son is on also... he was thinking of getting a tat that says "God, grant me Serenity..." a friend of his does tattoos and he does them for free when your clean 60days...his thing is he doesn't complete the tattoo... then you can come back and have it added on to l8r...tats are a personal thing but i thought i'd throw this out thre for comments...love you guys ...OBG

[JoJo1945]

I, personally, would not want a tattoo. But, I am a woman and that is just not my thing.

My dad had tattoos, and I remember he had one that said Geneva and it created havoc in his life, as my mother's
name was Martha!!! They were not very popular when I was young, but we talked about him, and he told me
if I ever decided to get one, make sure I thought about what I was putting on my skin, for it would be there
forever.

I think some of his were of comfort, for he was a WW2 Vet; POW, and some were of those memories and
memorials, as you say. In my opinion, I think that if it makes you feel good, serves as a memorial and
reminder to those you love and loved, then do it!!!!

JoJo

[shockedmom]

obg , i think your mom would like that .

go for it . my son was hurting so much

when my mom , his gram died that he

tattooed nana across his heart . it makes

him feel that shes with him . he has his

kids names on him too , he likes tattoos

and wears them well . im sure you wear

yours well too .

[sharon]

Glenn,
I'm not a tatoo gal but 3 of our kids are...

Go for it.

Just remember...any name is there forever LOL

i'd tell you what i tell my daughter every time she gets one.....be careful....it won't look like that when you're old....but you're already old

[KarenK]

Go for it!! I got a new one when I was home over the last couple of weeks. I now have 6. The first one is on my foot, it says "It is what it is", next one on my left foot says "No expectations", then I got the a third one that is the symbol for "Hope", that is on my left ankle, right ankle is the symbol for "strength", last week I got an osprey and a hawk tattooed on my back, the osprey is landing, and the hawk is soaring above in a blue sky. They all mean something to me, and I got them at different times during my journey to recovery. I can hide them, or I can show them, they all mean something important to me. My daughter got one when I got my first one, it was fun to go together and get them.
I sat with the artist and we designed this last one together, it was fun, and he got it, that they meant something special to me and did a really good job.
So, I say go for it! You will know when the design is right for you!
Karen K who is now back in the big sandbox and feeling very peaceful.
hmmm, peaceful, wonder what that tattoo will look like????

[jadebear]

I think that's an awesome idea OBG!!

[SuzeMom]

A few years before my son died, he convinced me that, given I had wanted a small tattoo for years, that it would be a wonderful birthday present from him to me. Although I had misgivings, I was in early disability and figured that if I didn't do it, I would never do it. I chose a place on the top of my arm which could be covered by long sleeves or exposed by three quarter sleeves for a drawing of a lotus I had photographed and then drawn. My son held my hand throughout the whole thing and it didn't hurt that much given the area I had chosen (and also wouldn't age badly there either). Now that Adam is gone, one of my most cherished memories of him is on my arm; it reminds me daily of his love and kindness and how much fun we had together doing things like that.

I wouldn't trade it for the world.

My son was going to have his own tattoo done on his shoulder "later"; he had picked the red tailed hawk he loved and was to do it on HIS birthday. If he had made it to that birthday, I would have gone with him to pay for it and hold HIS hand. I have wondered if I should have a small red tailed hawk put on my shoulder as a follow through FOR him.

Whatever you decide to do, it CAN be removed, though painfully. And, I am constantly amazed at the people who DO have tattoos secreted on their bodies but in "tasteful" places where they can either show them off or not.

enjoy whatever you decide to do; every small thing helps just a little to take the edge off pain that will never truly go away.

Much love,

Suze

[oldbaldguy]

thnx for your replies and experiences... not too many people know that i have tattoos, they are all above my elbow and they are mostly hidden by a short sleeve shirt...which is what i wear to work everyday during warmer weather... i do find that some folks strike up a conversation over them, because they are kind of large and unusual looking, when they notice them and ask if they mean anything to me... and i'm happy to share their meanings...i'm not ashamed of them, i was 48 when i got my first, so they have'nt stretched or faded yet, and they are all of my own design, with the artists' fine tuning, i may add the naranon symbol to tie it together and imortalize the friends and family i've met here...and i meant to put WISDOM not knowledge on my original post.... thnx again and have a PEACHEY day OBG

[stilltrying]

I say go for it. I have two completed tattoos. I have a third one that got started just before I discovered my daughter's addiction. With all the pain and chaos that's ensued since then, I haven't been back to get it finished.
It was going to be a mother grizzly bear standing behind her cub, my daughter and I obviously. The cub is done but the mother bear is really just the outline.
I've since decided that's the way things are. I can stand behind her, supporting her but I can no longer protect her. I suspect my tattoo artist would disagree but that's OK, it's my skin art.

Love Denise

[shine a light on you]

Shhhhh... Don't tell anyone, but they put something in the ink that is highly addictive!! I have 5 of them, so I might not be the best person to tell you to go for it!!

My 1st one was when I was 17 & long before it was the norm for girls to be getting tattoo's.. My 1st true love is inked on my thigh.. The Stones tongue!! About 5 or 10 yrs ago I had the color touched up because the red really faded & had them add the flowers & dagger from the Tattoo You tour.. I've got an angel on my shoulder for the daughter I lost 17 yrs ago.. Jenny will always be with me in more ways than 1.. My ankle has 3 roses with the initials V S R for my other daughters & I when I took my ALO for hers on her 18th bday (it's a tradition I seem to be keeping with the girls so far) I had them add a heart with a crown on it for my grandson, the prince of my heart.. Then there's an eyeball with lightning bolts & a tear drop on my other shoulder & a broken heart with wings on my wrist with 2 hearts dripping off the lightning bolt from when my 1st marriage ended..

They all have special meaning to me & they're all 1 of a kinds.. The one thing I refused to do was pick a generic picture off the wall that anybody could have.. I still have the stencil from when the artist did my angel..

I love the idea you have for the one for your mom & I'd love to see the one you have for your sister if you can post it here..

[bubba1989]

I got a memorial tattoo for my brother a few days after he passed. Its a black rose with the name in the middle and the dates on top and bottom

[JanetR415]

I think tattoos are wonderful. I myself, have five. One is one I had designed myself, its my partners name and my name written on my arm, but her name is rightside up, and mine is upside down, and they share the J and the P (for me, and my ex).
I never intended it to be a memorial tattoo of our relationship, but I guess it is now. We were attached at the hip like velcro, and since the addiction hijacked her, we are no longer together.
A memorial tattoo is great..eventually I want to get my grandma's portrait done on my arm, she passed away when I was 13. I am also getting another one as soon as I move to Oregon. So , as you can see, I am all for a memorial tattoo. Also, I love that you designed them all your self.
Love, janet