inked.
in photography, Thoughts and Feelings
as doubt, final word, finger, getting a tattoo, left hand, pain, pain receptors, parlor, person, piercings, ring, ring finger, tattoo artist, tattoo parlor, today, TURN, waiting my turn, way, while, word peace
I walked into a tattoo parlor today and sat there quietly waiting my turn. Two guys came in. They stared at me for a bit before remarking, “You have no piercings and no tattoos; why are you here?”
“I’m getting a tattoo…” I answered.
“Your first?!” they said, quite excitedly.
I just nodded and continued to wait nervously.
This is something I’ve been thinking about doing for a while now.
And so today, I did.
I knew I wanted the word peace. I knew I wanted it on or near my left hand. I really wanted it on my ring finger, but the tattoo artist I talked to wouldn’t give me that. Because, see, what’s happened will always be a part of my story. It will always have helped to shape me. And that’s not a bad thing.
“Don’t you want to forget?!” one person asked me, when I told him about the tattoo I wanted.
And honestly? Even if I wanted to forget, I couldn’t. It has happened and, yes, that chapter of my life–that relationship–is now over, but I do believe that peace is the final word.
And by the way, getting a tattoo hurts. If someone tells you otherwise, than they are probably lying. Or have no pain receptors. Turns out my pain receptors are alive and kicking. Good to know.
As if I had any doubt at all.
But, yes, peace. I like to read it written under my left hand. I like to know how that’s the final word.
sum-sum-summertime.
in Funny Stuff, Loved Ones, photography
as braiding hair, burning sun, doubt, grass, lawn, lyric, photo, sum sum, summer photo, winter photo
105 degrees outside.
A bright blue sky with a sun that is quite sure of itself.
July. Summer. No doubt about it.
So, we decided to go ahead and have a summer photo shoot.
Since our winter photo shoot went so well and all.
We picked flowers for our hair; my niece Lyric lent me her sunglasses.
I mean, they went so well with my dress, it was inevitable.
We stood in some prickly grass.
All colors and attitude under a burning sun.
And right. The prickly grass.
Apparently Charis stepped on some real real prickly grass.
And these girls are serious about their photo shoots.
And I am serious about braiding hair.
Striking.
And some friends make fun of me for never having mowed the lawn. I know, considering there is a lot of lawn around these parts, this is rather surprising. But at least now here is some documentation of me sitting on a tractor. Which does mow the lawn. One step closer, at least.
So very pretty.
Whimsy and beauty.
We stood and faced the world; the fact that we had smiles, flowers, and each other made all the difference we needed, I think.
Oh, life!
It’s sometimes just right.
And today was one of those days.
