More Than Body Marks: Tattoos And Personal Expression

For as long as anyone could remember, people have always looked for ways to express who they are. They might do this through painting a picture, baking a batch of cookies or perhaps even by rearranging the furniture in a room. When it comes to making a personal mark on the world, some of these methods are more popular or frowned upon than others. Among those with a negative stigma attached, tattoos have long been a part of the list. But tattoos are more than simply marks on the body of someone. Should a person stop to look, they can have many different messages.

One reason that a person may get a tattoo is simple; they are doing it in honor of somebody in their life. When a loved one is lost, due to illness, injury or other tragic circumstances, the friends and family left behind experience a painful process. In order to cope, sometimes special memorials are erected. In this particular case, somebody may decide to have an image or series of words that they associate with their lost loved one tattooed onto their body. This way, no matter where they are or what they are doing, they will always have that other person with them.

If it is not done for the mourning process, it may be that somebody simply wants to share their interests with the world. Many people in today's society find that adopting a hobby is a great way to deal with the stress from day to day chores. They may have a television show that they watch almost religiously, or they could invest some of their free money into collecting items to display around the home. Should their love for this interest be particularly strong, they may choose to make it a permanent part of their life.

Yet another use for a tattoo is identification. In other words, a certain tattoo is created in order to make the wearer known to people of similar interests or organizations. It could, as stated above, have something to do with a particular media interest or hobby; however, it could also tell people that the person with the tattoo believes in a certain movement, or that they work at a hospital or other place of business. This can get conversations started that discuss the tattoo, and friendships can develop as a result. This is assuming, however, that the tattoo is visible.

Tattoos may be seen as something negative by the everyday person, either because they believe the tattoo is connected to a violent gang, or that it is the result of a rebelling teenager with no respect for their body. But they are more than colored splotches on the skin; they get messages across, and they can creatively convey the interests of the wearer. The subjects are endless; so long as a person can dream it up, it can likely be created by a professional. Big or small, hidden meaning or obvious conveyance, at least one person in the world will understand.