My New Tattoo

On June 29, 2003 the person who I bonded with most died. It has been eight years since that day and it still feels like it happened yesterday. Before her death, I would sit in my car and cry because I was afraid of what would happen when that day came. I even found myself having those feelings after her death and reminding myself that she is already gone. Now, I get upset sometimes when I think about my parents or TK dying before me. I am more afraid of other people dying than I am of dying myself.

So, in honor of my grandmother, her death and who she was to me, I got a tattoo. I am sure she would hate the idea if she was alive, but she isn't so she can't argue with me about it. This tattoo is my second (after my Hidden Mickey two years ago) and I got it on July 3. It is a tribal elephant that I found online. It is the symbol for an African tribe that I had customized. The trunk was down, but I needed it up because down is bad luck and up is good luck. The elephant was my grandmother's favorite animal and it is a symbol of royalty and grace. She had elephants on everything; nightgowns, blankets, coffee mugs...you name it, she had it. My mother even made me a little pillow out of a piece of her favorite elephant blanket.

When I had finally printed out the symbol and decided what I wanted, I asked Danielle at Michael Angelo Ink, to draw in my grandmother's initials (Gloria Dolores Sirico = G.D.S.) and she did a great job. It is on my lower back hip, just below my pant line, and it is in all black. It took about 45 minutes from start to finish, but it seemed pretty fast. It hurt more than my first one, which I thought was odd because there is more chunk on my hip than on my ribcage, but I love it and I love that I can honor her every day of my life with this symbolic artwork.

I have said that I would get this tattoo since I got my other one, and I finally did it. I guess it just goes to show that I do what I say I am going to do and sometimes you have to go through some pain to prove your love. I guess I am one for bold statements and am committed, or should be committed. Either one.