I have always been interested in tattoos, since as far back as I can remember, but I was always very hesitant to ever do it. I can remember the first time I ever went into a tattoo shop. It was in Bremerton, Washington and my roommate went in to get a skull with a sailor hat and flames coming out of his head. I can remember the tattoo artist asking me whether or not I was going to get one, and telling him that I was just there for my friend and that I didn't know what I would want to put on my body permanently. In fact, that had been my biggest aversion for most of my adult life. I would think about what I'd like to get and then I'd put so much thought and attention and sometimes research into it that by the time I would be finished with the process of picking something to get I would be unsure of even wanting to do it at all! When the uncertainty of what I want on me permanently merged with the cost of doing it and the pain involved, I would always pass on the idea and go out drinking with my friends instead! I wasn't going to get a tattoo unless I was sure of doing it. I think this process kept me ink free for my first 35 years of life. But I did always like them.
I haven't answered the question yet, so far I have given a pretty good idea why I HADn't ever gotten a tattoo. So, you have the fact that it costs money, it hurts a little, and lasts forever...so, why tats? One of my Dad's main concerns is that I (and my whole generation) will live to regret the tattoos. Regret. That seems like the central issue, really. I like that danger and permanence of it, you really do have to get past a point where you think you might regret it, you have to be sure! That's a pretty big thing to get your head around if you're giving it any thought. Using your own skin as a canvas, what is important enough in your life that you would want to immortalize it on your skin? For me, making that decision, committing to it, and then following through with it takes a lot of courage and conviction! I think as a younger guy, I was a lot more concerned with doing something I would regret, more worried about ruining my canvas with the name of a fleeting girlfriend, or a gimmicky design that would be grown out of without having the ability to change it. Now I'm more sure of myself, I have less concern for regret. At this point in my life, I've learned for the most part how not to regret. So, when I get a tattoo, it has to mean something very profound to me.
My first tattoo is of a Celtic Cross that I took a photo of at St. Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin, Ireland. I got this tattoo both as a memorial to those faithful departed friends and family in my life, and also as a statement of my faith. Inscribed on a banner that drapes this tatto are the words "go deo i mo chroi", which means "Forever in my Heart" in Irish Gaelic, a way to honor my Irish Heritage. So when I see this tattoo on my back, it always reminds me of my Grandpa, my Opa, my Oma, as well as my friends who have passed away, as well as my heritage, and last but not least my faith. It's placement on my back shoulder is also symbolic of my view that the spirit of these people who I love have my back, and God has my back, and I'm bearing that cross...
My second tattoo is of Talaria, the winged sandal which in Greek mythology is an icon for Hermes, the messenger, and is used today to represent running. I designed this with the sandal fashioned into the Roman numerals for 26 to represent the 26 miles I ran during the Indianapolis Marathon last year. This accomplishment means a great deal to me, not only because I achieved the feat, but also because in order to achieve it I had to make a real commitment to quitting smoking.
My third and fourth tattoo are traditional Naval swallow tattoos to represent my love and devotion to my wife and son. For more than a century the swallow has been a favorite tattoo motif for sailors. When out to sea, the sight of a swallow is often a sign that land is near. During migrations that can be thousands of miles in distance, swallows are known to travel far out to sea, but would alight on boats when close to land - a welcome sign for the sailor hoping for landfall. It’s a tradition for sailors - after logging 5,000 nautical miles - to sport the swallow tattoo. Two swallows proclaims 10,000 nautical miles. After two swallows, sailors would turn to other symbols such as nautical stars, or compass roses to denote subsequent denominations. Generally, it carries the good luck message of "safe travel, safe return," but the tattoo carries an even deeper meaning as swallows are monogamous, and no matter where each of them are in the world, once a year they both meet up in the Galapagos Islands to mate...amongst millions of other birds, all over the world, they find each other...so the swallow tattoos also came to represent the Sailor's devotion to his family and his promise that he too will always return home to them...
Ultimately, I think regret is mitigated when tattoos have a great deal of meaning. They are also the best ones in my opinion. I love the ones I have. When people don't put any thought into their tattoos is when people get bad ones that they regret.
