Tattoo You?

No tattoo!“So, what do you think?” SL asked.
“It’s nice,” I replied.
“So, you think you want one?”
“Nah, not for me.”
“Why not?”
“Just not interested.”
“It’s not like it hurt much.”
“That’s good, but still not interested.”

SL, one of my best friends at the time was nearly incredulous by my blasé attitude towards his first tattoo. After all, we were 19 (or thereabouts) when this conversation (or some semblance of it) occurred.  He probably looked at the tattoo as a statement, a declaration of independence. He always wanted to push the envelope.

In those days – the late 80’s, getting a tattoo was a major statement, a rarity. However, getting a tattoo today is barely noteworthy.  In fact according to a Fox News Poll conducted this past March, “People under age 45 are twice as likely as those 45 and over to have one (31 percent vs. 14 percent). “ The results also note that 34 percent of people under the age of 30 have a tattoo and nearly 20 percent of that group has three or more tattoos.

But I don’t want a tattoo. I didn’t want one then, and I don’t want one now. Zero interest. While my religious beliefs and followings preclude me from getting a tattoo, that is not the reason I don’t want a tattoo.

Despite or maybe because of my complete disinterest in getting a tattoo, I posed a question in my dad bloggers Facebook group: to those who have tattoos about what inspired you to get it, and for those who don’t is there a particular reason why you do not have a tattoo? I got some interesting replies.

Christopher Paul Streeter of Daddycamo.com says of tattoos, “It’s a meaning of self-expression and turning your skin into art.”

A second dad blogger, Benjamin Mullen of Dadonthemic.com says of tattoos, “I’ve got multiple, and I follow somewhat of a tatooers mantra: my whole body is my temple. It deserves a few stained glass windows. They are all representative of aspects and beliefs of my life.”

Self-expression and art – I can appreciate and respect both those responses.

However, my body is not a canvas to be drawn upon. It is not a book to be written in.  I don’t believe that any picture – no matter how beautiful – looks attractive on skin. I don’t believe words inspire or take on greater meaning if they are indelibly printed on my skin.

The mere thought of having something emblazoned upon my body forever seems like a recipe for regret.The Daily Telegraph of Sydney, Australia posted an article on its website just this month that noted a massive increase in the number of people who wanted a tattoo removed.  It said, “CPSA research suggests more than one in four Aussies over 20 have a tattoo. But as many as one-third of that number regret their decision later in life.”

So, I’ll pass on this trend. And I’m sure I won’t regret it later on.  I haven’t so far.

For those who decide to get tatted up, well as they say, to each his own. So, tattoo you. As for me, my body is going to stay tattoo free.

Do you have a tattoo? What inspired it?

Pic is courtesy of Google images

5 thoughts on “Tattoo You?

  1. I often feel like the only woman without a tattoo, and that’s because I’m often the only woman without a tattoo in the room!

  2. Religious issues aside I can’t see doing it either. Every time I have ever thought about whether I would do it I have always figured that what I thought was nice/cool/interesting today might change tomorrow so permanently marking my body didn’t make sense to me.

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