It does not do to dwell on tattoos

I plan to get at least one tattoo this summer. There are two that I know I want, but I don't know if I want to get the other this summer, or if I can financially justify getting both this summer.

I am the only one in my family who likes/wants tattoos. Neither of my parents like them at all, and I think my sister kind of likes them in moderation but would just never want one herself. So I've been facing a lot of disapproval lately about it from my family and I think I'm writing this post mainly to justify myself to them.

I've always wanted to get a tattoo, even when I was little, but with maturity my opinion about them has changed. I know getting a tattoo is permanent. I know that whatever I get now, I will still have when I'm 85 years old. I know that being a professional dancer and having tattoos can sometimes be frowned upon. However these days it is much more widely accepted, and in fact I personally know, and know of quite a few professional dancers with small tattoos, and even several with large tattoos. Also, the tattoos I want have real meaning to me, so it's not just like I plan to go into a tattoo shop, pick a picture of a flaming skull off a display on the wall and have it stamped on me for all time. I want them to actually serve a purpose and serve as constant, permanent reminders to me.

The first one I want to get is the phrase "It does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live." on the right side of my ribs. It is my favorite thing that  Dumbledore says to Harry in the first HP book. It will also constantly remind me to make the most of every moment. Dreaming is a great thing to do, but if your dreams of grandeur are keeping you from appreciating what you already have, then they do more harm than good. I tend to dream of grandeur, so I need a reality check every once in a while. I am also aware that with this being a rib tattoo, it is going to hurt. Big. Freaking. Time. Rib tattoos are exceedingly painful, so this is yet another reason why I'm not taking this lightly.

The second tattoo I want is a little smaller and will hurt significantly less. I want to get the letters D.F.T.B.A. on the inside of my left wrist. For those not in the know about this particular initialism (Yes: initialism. Acronyms spell out something pronounceable like "N.A.S.A.") D.F.T.B.A. stands for Don't Forget To Be Awesome. This is a tattoo that I would see all the time and would mimic the bracelet I currently have that has these letters on it, and that I always wear on my left wrist. Whenever I am facing something challenging like an audition or a difficult rehearsal (read: rehearsals with Miss Johnson or people like her) I glance at my bracelet and it gives me the courage to take a deep breath and deal with whatever I have to. As small a thing as this may seem, I am extremely phone shy, and whenever I have to call to make a doctor's appointment or something equally important, I freeze up. But when I look at my wrist to the letters D.F.T.B.A. I'm able to find the guts to make the important call.

My mom would KILL me if I ever got a tattoo on my shoulders or across my back, because as she always says, "Those are the tattoos that you can't possibly cover up in a wedding dress someday." I have no problem conceding that. I know that my parents will probably never fully approve of my having tattoos, but the most I can hope for is that they will at least understand now why I want them.