Inked Inspiration

Tattoos can be so much more than beautiful pieces of art on a living canvas. Tattoos can pay tribute, help heal from a loss, and inspire. Six weeks ago the husband I mentioned previously left me. The day we had a blow out I had a tattoo appointment to get a piece on my back finished. It ended up getting rescheduled to the next day, the same day he picked up a packed of divorce papers and left me. My artist, Mark, was setting up for my appointment when I said "Mark, can I ask you a favor from one friend to another?" He said "What is it girl. If it's anything I can do I will." I had talked to him the day before and he knew the situation. I said "You know what I have been through, can you tattoo strength on my inner wrist? I know I am gonna have some hard times and weak moments and I want something to remind me to stay strong." He didn't even hesitate. He picked the font and had his other artist, Nick, get the stencil ready while he worked on my back. After he finished my back he gave me my little strength tat. The next morning I woke up in horrible pain. It got worse and some other symptoms emerged...feeling pretty freaking weak I headed to the ER where I was diagnosed with a large kidney stone and less than a month later I had surgery for it due to it being too large to pass. I had horrible dreams when I was under anesthesia and woke up bawling. I remember moving my hospital band to look at my tattoo and take deep breaths. So many times it has been my focus object and my reminder to stay strong and keep moving on despite the physical and emotional things I have been through and am still dealing with.
Below are a few beautiful examples of inspirational tattoos submitted by the page users of the Modified Masterpieces Facebook.
Shane Geraets Parker submitted this elegant tattoo,
in Latin it means "Remember to live"

This next one is a favorite of mine and needs a little more explanation. It was submitted by Heather Reizner.

Amor fati is a Latin phrase that loosely translates to "love of fate" or "love of one's fate". It is used to describe an attitude in which one sees everything that happens in one's life, including suffering and loss, as good. That is, one feels that everything that happens is destiny's way of reaching its ultimate purpose, and so should be considered good. Moreover, it is characterized by an acceptance of the events that occur in one's life.
The phrase is used repeatedly in Nietzsche's writings-
"I want to learn more and more to see as beautiful what is necessary in things; then I shall be one of those who make things beautiful. Amor fati: let that be my love henceforth! I do not want to wage war against what is ugly. I do not want to accuse; I do not even want to accuse those who accuse. Looking away shall be my only negation. And all in all and on the whole: some day I wish to be only a Yes-sayer."

 Instead of a word or phrase to inspire, Michelle Greathouse (who is my co admin for the Modified Masterpieces Facebook page) has "a symbol that represents intellect, because intellect is extremely important to me and the tattoo reminds me to always continue to learn new things." I love her creativity.