If I had a tattoo

So, my girlfriend and I snuck away on a girls’ weekend getaway to celebrate her birthday, to relax, enjoy some girl time, no kids, no men, no responsibilities; just two gal pals hanging out, getting some good time in together.

As we were laying out by the pool she rolled over and asked me if I had a tattoo, and proudly my answer was “nope, and neither does my hubby”.

“Wow, she said neither do I, we are definitely the minority”. I agreed with her, as we sat there watching everyone hang out in the pool, and talk and socialize, I began looking at the variety of tattoos the world had to offer, I tried to figure out the meaning behind some of them.

I realize that most tattoos have a special meaning to their owner. Whether it’s a special person, or a place, or a memory; I understand completely why people may have them. When I was in college I considered getting a tattoo, there was just nothing that I could settle on, that I wanted to permanently mark my body with for the rest of my life. That, and all I could think about was GRAVITY. That cute little heart, would someday look like an elongated water balloon.

So as the day went on, we had so much fun meeting new people and talking to everyone throughout the day. We learned people were from all over the world, we learned some were young, some were old, some had kids, some didn’t; and there were all sorts of body types as well. Which as a mom of three boys, working a full-time job, and a husband who is gone -- therefore I have very little “me” time to go exercise, felt quite comfortable in my swimsuit; because not everyone was a supermodel or a body builder at this resort.

They were all walks of life. Heavy, slender, tall, short…. you name it, were at the resort. So that’s when I decided what my tattoo should be (my imaginary one); it would be bold mind you so everyone can see it, and all explanations are clear and accounted for:

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            The number 3 – for three kids, hence the not tight stomach and the bags under my eyes

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            An arrow near my rear end -- body parts that have lost the battle with gravity

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       And an airplane and a laser – because my husband is a pilot and always gone, so I don’t have any “me” time to work out, and leave the kids with him; and my full-time job (as an appraiser) to be able to avoid the afore mentioned tattoos.

But seriously, I know all tattoos have a meaning for people, and I really don’t have a problem with them, but like I said, I just truly haven’t found anything that I want to put on my body permantly. And at this point in my life, I have all the “tattoos” I will ever need, and they are permanent reminders of memories of my life – the good, the bad and the ugly.

I have my stretch marks from my babies, that honestly, I love more than anything. I know that may sound odd to most; but those are truly my badges of honor. I got to carry those big beautiful baby boys for nine months.

Then there are the wrinkles on my face. I have my laugh lines from all the good times shared with friends and family. And my stress lines from the bad times that I have obviously survived.  And the scars on my body from falls, being a klutz, and working and building things in my house and outside.

So, you see, I don’t feel I need to add another mark on my body at this point, when I have all the memories on my skin I need, and I wouldn’t trade them for the world.