She's been threatening to get one since I've known her and apparently the rain of London coupled with the literary history of the city convinced her once and for all that it was time to get a tattoo on the back of her neck. It's a Tibeten symbol which means "you better still want this in 50 years because it aint going anywhere" It's actually pretty cool looking and it conveys something important to her. She asked if I'd ever get one and the answer would have to be no. There is a cut off age for getting tattoos and it's well before 40. Tattoos, when you are younger, are a celebration of youth and a symbol of freedom and rebellion- after a certain age its a pathetic attempt to cling to what once was. It's OK to roll into middle age with a certain amount of dignity, respect for your age and a sense of comfort in your own skin. Back in the early 80's I had an earring- the hole is still there but I don't believe I'd ever wear an earring again. Some things are meant to stay at a certain age and to carry them beyond that point lessens the importants of what they once conveyed. I'm reminded of a lyric by Pete Townsend who, by the way, I've met.
Jeannie doesn't wear no slit skirts
and I don't ever wear no ripped shirts
Can't pretend that growing older never hurts.
Actually looking at the lyric it's pretty stupid but it conveys my point to an extent and also allows me to remind you that I have met Pete Townsend and you have not.
7 comments:
HOLD UP. Did my sister get a tat?
That's exactly what I'm saying sister girl.
Ha - this Pete Townsend thing was clearly a memorable point in your life - it makes it into lots of blog entries. ;-)
I actually would like a tattoo, but i've never been able to think of anything that i feel soooooo passionately about that I'm sure i'd be happy with it even 5 or 10 years down the road.
Yaaay, tattoo! I like her design.
p.s. I have a tattoo too...
Last summer, waiting in an airport in Guayaquil, Ecuador with my family, I see a woman in her 60's wearing shorts, lots of gold jewelry, etc, a Dallas look. I see she also has a couple of visible tatoos. I lean over and offer to bet my son Matthew, 25, $100 bucks that 30 years hence, when all the girls he knows who are getting tatoos now are in their 50's and 60's, and all those roses are starting to....droop, that there will be a whole lot of regretting goin' on. He took me up on it.
I might not have met Pete Townsend but I did meet Martin Sheen.
Okay, it's not the same, but I do hear you on the ink business. No ink here. I'm going to try for dignity later in life, since I've so comprehensively screwed myself out of it thus far.
I can't actually see anything in the image other than a black square but I'm sure its a cute tattoo. I wouldn't have one, for the reasons you state. I like your writing style btw
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