Topic: What Tattoos You Have And If They Have Meaning.
Love this topic! Why? Because I am always fascinated by people’s tattoos, and I’m sure people would get annoyed with me if I asked them what their tattoos all meant. Although, I bet it would strike up some interesting conversations… Kinda like what mine are all about.
I will start with my first tattoo. It’s located on my left shoulder blade, and it is a Canadian Maple Leaf with two rowing oars crossed behind it. It is rarely seen. There was a reason for this….
I was 17, involved with the St. John’s Rowing Club at the competitive level, and we were going on a trip to Ontario and Quebec for two competitions.
I do have a little rebel streak in me, so I will digress with the tattoo conversation…Years earlier I went to a store and had gotten my ear lopes pierced a second time. I wore my hair down and hid the fact that I had gotten them done again from my mom. I was scared to show her, and knew she would freak a little. After the healing process was done and there was no chance of them overgrowing, I started to wear my hair up, little by little, until one day she saw and asked me about it. Yes, she freaked a little, but the damage was done. Fast-forward a few more years, and I got my scaffold pierced. That would be your upper ear.
My sister and I went at the same time, got this done together, and this time we didn’t hide it. Yes, mom freaked again….
Let’s go back to the tattoos. I’m 17 (almost 18), away from home in a different province, rebel me kicked in. We were in Montreal, we had spare time to shop and wander the streets before our competition. The girl that was our coxie and I went to St. Catherine’s Street, found a tattoo and piercing parlor and in we went. She wanted to get her belly button pierced. She lied about her age, got it done. I lied about my age as well. I had to be 18. It was close enough, one month wasn’t going to hurt. I had my little picture, ready to go, had it copied and placed on my back. Tattoo Time! It didn’t take very long, didn’t really hurt, but there you go. Permanently placed and never to be erased. I love it. I may not be involved with rowing right now, but this was and is a sport that I truly loved and enjoyed. I remember my parents talking, and they were impressed that I was responsible and dedicated enough to get up at 5:00 to 5:30 every morning and head down to the club for practice. There were tough days, but I loved it. This tattoo, I hid it… for many years. Even when I was swimming, I made sure my mom was in front of me, never seeing my bare back. I covered it with a towel getting out of the shower and walking to my room. It was 6 years later when I finally gave in and didn’t hide it. We were doing deep water aerobics and I had gotten ahead of my mom in the pool. Yup. She saw it. She freaked out again 🙂 Starting to see a pattern here…
Then comes tattoo #2. This one is very special to me.
