Never Would I Ever
As promised I am writing my story of how I got my tattoos. My first tattoo was a butterfly. It was a spur of the moment decision when I was teaching English in South Korea. There was no symbolic meaning behind getting a butterfly tattoo other than the fact that I love butterflies.
My second tattoo was an entirely different experience. It was during the summer of 2010 when my stepfather Charlie Johnson passed away. At that time I left my teaching position at the University in Mexico to take care of my Mother in Newfoundland who was recovering from a broken hip. While at the computer one day responding to emails I noticed a calendar on the wall that had sunflowers. I asked Mom where she got that calendar; she told me that Charlie bought it before he passed away.
One day while cleaning up I noticed an unopen packet of sunflower seeds that you get from the garden centre. I asked Mom about them and she explained that Charlie bought them to plant sunflowers in the garden. Unfortunately he did not get the chance to do that as he suffered a heart attack that claimed his life.
Charlie’s death was not the first time I lost somebody close to me; however, he was the only person I decided to associate a tangible object in honor of his remembrance. Sunflowers became for me a reminder of Charlie and what a nice man he was. That winter I got a sunflower tattoo in memory of Charlie. It’s my favorite of all three of my tattoos.
My third tattoo I got in 2016 as a graduating present to myself for acquiring my honors Master’s Degree in Education. I wanted it to contain the last few words of my favorite poem Footprints in the Sand, but I didn’t want a tattoo of feet on my body. I first heard the poem when I was a teenager. I will narrate that story.
I was about 5 years old when I visited an elderly couple who were neighbors of my grandparents. Their names were William and Marie Stone. They were very nice people who often invited me into their home for milk and cookies. Mr. Stone used to work with my grandfather at the air force base. Sadly in 1988 his lovely wife passed away and Mr. Stone was living alone.
I was visiting him one day when I noticed an ornament on the end table that had a verse written on it and a little bird attached. I asked him where he got it; he picked it up, winded it up at the back and it played a song while the little bird that looked like a dove moved around the words. After the song finished playing he read the poem Footprints in the Sand. Ever since I heard Mr. Stone read that poem it became my favorite.
After months of pondering I decided to get a dove carrying an olive branch with words underneath saying, It was then that I carried you. I always loved birds; at one time I had a budgie, 2 doves and a canary as pets. I had two things I loved tattooed on me which included my favorite poem and doves along with the memory of a wonderful man who once shared that poem with me.