Tattotuesday

Over the years, I've contemplated a tattoo, but never really felt connected enough to something to want to look at it on my body for the rest of my life. In the past 11 months, I've thought more and more about it; it felt right to want one even more now-as I mark an entirely new time in my life. Not that my heart would ever let me forget, but I wanted something that would be a symbol of starting over- no matter how much regret and resistence I felt about it.



I have a love affair with the honeybee, and whenever I travel, I always try to bring home honey. Honey captures an areas terrior, much like wine does, and I love having an edible memory of somewhere I've been. I brought back local honey from both South and North Carolina on this trip (SC honey from a farm stand on my drive). I've spent a fair amount of time in the past year and a half researching keeping honey bees, in hopes of having a hive of my own someday soon. And frankly, the honey bee is pretty damn important to every day, since they are responsible for polinating crops, which provide food for us all (ok, off the soap box!).


I also wanted a tattoo that held meaning. Because the bee appears to die in the winter and return in the spring- they actually hibernate in the hive-the bee became a symbol of death and rebirth. Because of their ability to find their way home over great distances, the bee came to represent the soul.


When I read this, it became clear that this was it. As I am grieving loss of a love and of a life that I thought would be mine forever, I feel that I am trying to find my way back home. Back home to myself, and part of that journey is rediscovering who I am as an individual, and what makes me happy.


So, I did it! I got my first tattoo, and I have to say: I LOVE it! I harbored much anxiety about the pain, but really, the anticipation of the pain hurt more than the actual tattoo. The artist was a referral from my massage therapist, and he was incredibly patient with all of my questions and our photo taking. After, we celebrated with a delicious dinner, manhattans, and Turley. I can kind of see why they say tattoos are addictive...