Though I have known Heidi for years, we never spent much time together until just recently when she, my sister and I took my year-and-a-half-old niece on a “girls’ night out” to Chuck E. Cheese’s. It was such a great time!
Along with enjoying awesome pizza and playing games, the three of us also spent time talking about tattoos. I have my two, which I have posted about before, and I was happy to feature my sister (Stephanie’s) tattoo a few posts ago, but now it is time to tell you all about Heidi’s.
Heidi says that when she was growing up, she never pictured herself getting a tattoo, mainly because she didn’t know many people with tattoos and she was afraid people wouldn’t take her seriously if she had them. Well, one way or either—Heidi wasn’t even sure how to explain what made her take the leap and get her first one—she did get into tattoos, to the point where she now has five along with ideas for future ones.
Heidi’s first tattoo was the Bible reference of Jeremiah 29:11. The verse reads, “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the Lord, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.’” She says that her mom showed her the verse when she was in middle school, and it has been her favorite passage ever since. She got the tattoo when she was a senior in high school, but she says this verse holds even more meaning in her life now that she is out of college and not sure where to go from here. She is trusting God to fulfill this verse in her life.
Later, Heidi added another tattoo on her left ankle, one that represents her love and admiration for her mom. The tattoo is of an “L” for her mom, Lisa (who I featured on my blog back in July), along with an intricate peacock feather. In addition to representing her mom, this tattoo holds special meaning to Heidi because one of her sorority sisters did the tattoo during her apprenticeship.
Another tattoo that connects Heidi to her sorority sisters is a quatrefoil on her wrist. She says that her sorority was often known as the “tattoo sorority” around campus, because the sisters were so interested in tattoos. She says that many of her sorority sisters now have tattoos that connect them to the sorority as well, whether it be a quatrefoil like Heidi’s or script of the group’s ideals of “love, honor, truth.” Though some think of sororities as being something to do as part of the “college experience”, Heidi said her connection to her “sisters” is much more than that, hence why she would put it on her skin for life.
“This just kind of represents my bond with my sisters and how it’s like a lifetime thing and not just four years in college, so I kind of just carry my sisters everywhere,” she said.
Heidi’s tattoo artist friend also did the substantial tattoo on her side. The tattoo is of a quote from Oscar Wilde: “Every saint has a past; every sinner has a future.” She says she got this tattoo because Oscar Wilde is one of her favorite authors, and this quote is especially impactful, speaking to the fact that you don’t always know someone’s story.
“I would be covered in tattoos if it was more socially acceptable,” she said with a laugh. “I’m trying to not go crazy with tattoos, but it’s really hard to stop once you have them. Once you get that first one, you just want to keep on going; you keep getting ideas. I’m going to run out of places to put them soon.”
[Those of you who have tattoos and are reading this are probably sitting there shaking your heads in agreement, while those who still haven’t taken the plunge to get inked probably don’t get the addicting nature of them…not yet, anyway! I know I was content with one tattoo for a handful of months, but then I started thinking of quotes I liked, which led to me considering getting it tattooed, and once you’ve thought about it long enough you can’t help but go and get it done. And, I will admit, I am in that process again, brainstorming what my next one could be.]
Up to this point, Heidi has put all her tattoos in places that can be easily covered for the workplace. Even her likely next tattoo—some design of a gun with flowers around it, to show the strength/empowerment she has received from recently learning how to shoot guns (safely) while remaining effortlessly feminine—will probably be easily hidden on her thigh.
Heidi says that if she finds a job where tattoos are accepted, she may get a sleeve someday. But, as for now, tattoos are not looked upon so favorably in the mainstream professional world. And this negative perception is something that doesn’t make sense; tattoos don’t change people, or, as Heidi says, “They’re part of a person. They tell a story.”
I hope you have enjoyed reading Heidi’s stories, and I plan to be back here next week with another new tattoo story (as it is now required by a class that I update my blog every week!) I can’t wait until next time, and I hope you all come back.
