Marks of Strength
Tattoos; a permanent mark on the skin, but a permanent reminder of a certain something or someone in the minds, hearts, and souls of those who choose to wear them. Tattoos are often worn to further explain or define a significant milestone or moment within a persons life. They help give an individual meaning to their life and allow them to express themselves in a beautiful way.
The end of summer is nearing; I am 18 years old, a graduated senior in high school, about to move forward in life and become a freshman in college. I have decided to get a tattoo. It was only less than a month ago that my dad was assaulted in his business office late at night during his usual Thursday night visit in order to do the last minute payroll. He walked in on his office being robbed by two very large men and was attacked in the process of trying to get out as fast as he could. He fought off one man, but quickly realized after that there was another one, as he collided with the second man right before exiting the back door. At this point, my father's head and shoulder had both gone through newly installed drywall and he was ripped from his jacket, as well as taken from his shoes. The only way out, the only light he could see, was through the front window. If he hadn't had jumped through, hurting himself even more, but saving his life in the process, he probably wouldn't be here with me and my family today. After receiving the call during the middle of the incident, I was both terrified and in shock. My first instinct was to call for more help, but he is my father and I was the closest to his location at the time. By the time I had arrived on the scene, it was too late. But an ambulance was there. Seeing my dad beat up, broken down, torn apart, ripped from clothing and shoes, shaking as he struggled to catch a breath was the most difficult thing I have ever seen with my own two eyes. Today, my father and entire family as a whole are stronger than we have ever been before. It's not until after the fact that I had realized no human-being can make it through any tragic accident like that and continue to live life normally forever. Yes, he suffers from head trauma and memory issues here and there, and he has scars from the glass up his forearms and on his hands, but it continues to remind me that my father's heart, mind, and body are the strongest of any father's I have ever known. This is the main reason, the main story behind my first tattoo.
My tattoo reads "Philippians 4:13". It means, "I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength." This truly represents my dad and my family in every way. No matter what the struggle is, no matter how high, how long, how large the obstacle may be, we will always be able to get through it together, forever. This however is not the only meaning behind my tattoo. The word, strength, has always been a word that I look to every day of my life. Growing up, playing soccer since I was 4 years of age, I have always looked for strength; from the very first whistle to the last when the game is blown dead. I have always looked for strength to help me succeed in the classroom, no matter what the subject was. At 3 years old, I was blessed with the talent an ability to play the piano. My mom has played since her early childhood years and it was quickly passed to me only a couple years of my life in this world. So often times, I search for strength to move my fingers and play the piano to the best of my ability using my God given talents, every day.
Getting my tattoo was not the most painful thing I have ever felt, but it certainly didn't tickle. It is placed on my left ribs which people say is one of, if not the most painful place to get one. It is 4pm, July 29th; I'm sitting in the tattoo parlor waiting to get marked for life. The chills running up my arms were unbearable and the nerves within my body were like never before, but I knew deep within that it was something I wanted to do. I remember it all like it was yesterday. My artist sat me down and laid the stencil on my rib. This was my last chance to run out the door; but I stayed put and with stood the pain because I knew it would all be worth it. The first needle hit and it was all just fine, until I found out that he barely made a mark. I clenched a fist and put my headphones because I knew I had a long hour and a half ahead of me. Keep in mind, my family had no idea that I was doing this at all. My younger brother was by my side for support, but I think mainly to see his older brother be put through some pain for a little. Laying on the table half way through my tattoo all I could think was, mom and dad are going to disown me. But somehow my parents found out about 4 weeks later. They didn't really care as much as I thought they would. They cared because I was the first to ever have one in our family and they weren't sure of the specific meaning behind it all, until I told them. This was the moment they realized I was marked for a purpose, with a significant meaning behind it all.
I want to end with a quote by Rikki Rogers, that has also stuck with me since a very young age. It is not religious based like my tattoo, but it does have to deal with strength and every day life. "Strength does not come from what you can do. It comes from overcoming the things you once thought you couldn't."
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