build your beautiful self

Quite a few (16) years ago I was looking for inspiration. It was for a tattoo that I wanted but I didn’t exactly know what I wanted. Go figure… Twenty something not knowing what she wants for life…

I was reading a lot of poetry at that point of my life and I was searching among the poetry for inspiration. I was searching for what had a deeper meaning that would remind me of who I am and what is good.

I was an Artist! Actually I was a poetry reading, graffiti artist… I had created my tag and it was pretty sweet. This was short lived but amazingly awesome at the time.

I was reveling in my work and reading some good stuff when I came across a saying.

“Life is a Journey…”

I looked at that statement for hours. Pondering the meaning behind it and thinking about the horrid conditions I put myself in out of stubbornness and loyalty. I thought about the changes I had made and where I was in life and the idea for the tattoo came to me!

I had a person in my life at the time who was the catalyst to change. The person that came and shook me out of dirt and made me realize change was needed. We were buds. He showed me how to tag and exercise and play outside as an adult. He also showed me personality extremes. And what a socially awkward, introvert acts like. Nonetheless, at that point in my life, the art was the representation of my transformation. It was how I wanted the world to see the representation of me at the time. Misplaced art.

I opted to add the art that we plastered everywhere we could into the tattoo. I also took the statement that I pondered and turned it into a more meaningful-to-me statement.

“Love is a Journey…”

There was more to the original sentence after those three little dots but the remainder was not what stuck. Just the first 4 words. I also wanted to leave it open ended so I could consistently change the 2nd half of the sentence.

I had been through hell and back for the 5 years prior to the tattoo. I had seen what suffering truly is.

My tattoo, for those who have seen it and wondered what it was for or what it said or what it meant, is a compilation to be a reminder of that time in my life. It doesn’t matter what the graffiti says on my leg, just know it is an artistic expression of the first true shift in my life. It was the reminder of the first act of bravery with self avocation sprinkled on top that made an impact. I had been brave enough to survive, but it was my 20 seconds of courage moment that needed to be remembered.

I am shifting once again to a higher level of bravery that has everything to do with sharing my love with the world. I am searching for Inspiration daily to help me create my next work of ART…One that is for others also, not just myself as was my tattoo. I am searching for help from anyone who is inspired by me to please share the source of your inspiration that I bring you.

Cheers to inspiring others!