Spur of the moment

Yesterday I had a thought: I WANT A TATTOO. That's literally how it took place, the thought just popped in my head. Within 3 minutes my mind was made up. Then it was time to decide what I wanted to have forever inked on my skin...


While at work I polled a couple of my co-workers and a few clients (group participation is fun). My first idea was to go with an animal...what oh what kind of animal do I like that much? An animal that has deep meaning to me. Naturally everyone said I should get my Pomeranian Madison put on my shoulder. Are you kidding me???!!? That would be the cheesiest thing I could ever do. No, no, I want something big & bad! Ooo, I got it! A tiger???!!! Their big & beautiful cats, yet very powerful. Wait, what about an eagle??? I mean their kind of seen as a symbol of courage and strength. Sounds like me, right??? Then it hit me, what is something that I am deeply passionate about??? Other than animals, what cause would I devote my life to promoting??? Like a bolt of lightening it hit me! The ONE campaign --AIDS & famine relief!!! That's what I'll get, the red ribbon for AIDS awareness!

Going inside the tattoo parlor (is that the politically correct name) my stomach was in knots. Hearing one of the artists being referred to by what I can only hope is a tattoo related nick name, Skin Freak, I wanted to say forget this I'm going back to find my sanity. Seriously, Skin Freak is not an appealing nick name. But I couldn't leave. By that point I felt like I was on a mission, a quest, if you will. A quest for freedom. Freedom to continue expressing myself in the way I want.

Of course I got the tattoo. It's a red (AIDS awareness) ribbon with the word IN (spire) going through the ribbon. I don't regret getting it, though it was more pain that I bargained for. The meaning is important to me, I know for me it's one that will forever be IN my heart. Reaching out in love to those infected/dying from the AIDS virus & famine that come as it part of it's side effect. The AIDS/famine cause has INSPIRED me for many years, and it continues to as I grow older. The thought of the millions of children orphaned in this world because of this virus is sickening to me. I want to continue to be a 'spokesperson' for the cause, to INSPIRE people open their hearts. From that I firmly believe that people will then ASPIRE to be something bigger in this life. Each becoming a person that IMPACTS and spreads a message. There's something that all of our hearts are connected to, if we tune into that frail little voice inside. What issue tugs at your heart??? What is your life really about??? What INSPIRES you???