I got my first tattoo when I was 18, a picture of a minature tiger (representing Sibia) on my right hip. I thought it was an awesome statement of my independence, it gave me a sense of freedom, or something like that. My mother, however, was not particularly pleased about it but to my surprise it came down to "it's your body, do whatever you want"..... like I said freedom. I'm not so sure why I need it then or why it was so important but it was.

 Ah, but that was not it, you see that first tattoo is what draws you back, it sucks you in, the feeling of almost euphoria you experience just after the tattoo is finished. It is my opinion that tattoo can be very addictive. If it were not for "social" standards and the responsibility of keeping yourself "professional" looking as a job requirement, I might have more tattoos than I have. I currently have nine.

You guessed it, of course I have the wonderfully labeled "tramp stamp" but I got it long before it was the "in" thing. Or possibly, I just not had noticed it as a fad. I simply looked at as a fashion statement, a little decoration, if you will, that shows just above the waist of your pants. I did not know it was going to be a trendy, I've never been what you would call a trendy girl. I just thought it was cute and really sexy. I still do.

My next couple of tattoo's also have signifigant meaning to me. Before I got married to my better half, we got tattoo's for each other, now I know what everyone is thinking. You got your names tattooed to each other, the answer is no. I had heard and still hear stories about regretting getting (Insert Name) tattoo and having to have it removed or covered up. Both are extremly painful procedures, I understand now there's a balm for removing tattoo's, I've heard it's relatively pain free, but I would bet the farm it's got some sort of acid in it that actually burns your skin off. Covering up, the same with reshading, is painful because a tattoo is a scar, ever cut open a scar, pretty painful right. I digressed, instead of getting Shaun and Misty on our bodies we went for "matching" tattoo's, of which I share a couple. Our last name is Wild, mine was fixing to be Wild (althought it took me 5 years to offically change my name), and we knew for certain there would be something cool with Wild in in. We chose Wild at Heart, two different meanings, both equally unique.

I mentioned other matching tattoo's. I have one that does not necessarily "match" the rest, except in it's meaning. My husbands little brother, Casey, was killed by a drunk driver when he was but 20, there were some events in Casey's life that led him to getting a tattoo to release his emotional turmoil. After he passed, the whole family went out, parents and friends and got some form of a memorial, but the universal match is that of a rose, we all got a rose, which is what Casey had gotten only months before he passed. I personally got a rose in the color blue (his favorite color) with a hear and banner reading RIP. The words "Wild at Heart" are on his headstone. So in sorts, he is part of us always, all from a couple of simple tattoo's. We miss you Casey.

I also have a matching tattoo, or tattoo's with one of my best friends, we both got the Chinese symbols (2) for "beautiful friends" at the base on the back of our necks. She got her colors, I got mine. Here again, a universal meaning, but special to both of us in the sense it was something we now shared and will share forever. Just as I will share Wild at Heart with my husband.

I do have a tattoo that I am not particularly fond of, thankfully it is on my back. Here again, I did not know this would turn out to be a fashion statement or a fad, if you will. But I decided I wanted a butterfly. I picked out a beautiful tribal, very colorful piece. Preparations were made, forms were signed and I wound up getting something completely different, still a butterfly, but not the one I wanted. How this came to be I am not quite certain, but I feel it has something to do with alcohol. I did actually fall asleep while getting this tattoo, so you decide.

The tattoo that holds the most signifigance for me is the tattoo I got for my father. I had seen it on Nicole Richie and knew instantly I had to have it. You see, I am a bit of a "daddy's girl" always have been, always will be, even when my father is gone from this earth. I did not get it in memory of him, I got it in honor of him. To let him know that he is loved, I did put his name on me. His name is Daddy and my tattoo says Daddy's Little Girl, with a cross underneath it. This too can be interpreted a couple of ways. For I know that God is my ultimate Father, hence the cross.

This is the only tattoo that is visible when I want it to be. And it is extremely well done, and quite elegant, even if I do say so myself. This tattoo has been the most painful by far, considering it goes right across that bone. The needle hits that spot and my teeth start clattering. It has also been painful in the fact that I have had to have it redone. I count this piece as two pieces, as I had the front and back done at separate times. And the middle of the tattoo will not stay colored, I had that spot retraced a couple of times. Remember what I said about scars, I speak from experience on that one. It is a tribal band with hearts, like I said it is elegant, it's not gaudy or overly expressive, it is simply a reflection of me. And I get compliments on it from people you'd never expect.

I feel that tattoo's are a way of expressing yourself, just as traditional art is a way of expressing ones self. From my experience I view all my tattoo's as body art, as an extension of myself. They are all unique in my eyes. I do not believe I am loved any less by God because of them, as many people I know believe. Those people who are fast to judge must not remember the passage, judge not lest ye be judged. I did not get them to be flashy or to be trendy, I got them simply, because they're me.