Last week I got my first tattoo. I think I’ve wanted one since I was around 15 years old. PRAISE THE LORD that I didn’t get one then (like my parents would have actually let me) cause who in the world knows what it would have been. Justin Timberlake’s face maybe? I actually don’t even think my dad knows that I got this one. So, Hey dad! I got a tattoo… It will be okay.
This year I’ve made the promise to myself, and the Lord, to be brave in all areas of my life. Donald Miller says to think about a year from now and the things you wish you would of done. Do those things.
I’m doing them this year. Little by little, big breaths, and baby steps.
It wasn’t a hard choice for me to decide what I wanted for my tattoo. Although, there were lots of contenders. If you followed me on pinterest you probably unfollowed me cause for two weeks straight all I pinned was tattoos. It’s okay, I understand.
I was 99% sure I wanted a feather for my very first tattoo. So, I did what any girl would do, and asked my husband to draw it on me. He wouldn’t let me look until he done… and then we looked together. My eyes bulged and my heart started beating fast, which sounds ridiculous to have a fast beating heart due to sharpie marker on your arm, but it’s true. This is it, he said. I nodded, It’s perfect. The next day I went and talked with the tattoo artist, gave him some pictures, asked way too many questions, and scheduled my appointment.
My feather is for this verse:
And it’s for so many other things.
Getting the tattoo was a pretty emotional experience for me. I literally almost talked myself out of it 6,000 times. It’s all I thought about from Thursday, when I made the appointment, til Wednesday, when my appointment actually was. I am surprised my girlfriends are still friends with me after the endless tattoo texts that ensued. I am pretty sure I talked with everyone and anyone I knew who had been inked before to hear about the process, and mostly how they feel about their tattoos now. I polled the masses.
There wasn’t a doubt in my mind that I wanted this tattoo. I just kept wondering what it would be like to have a tattoo 20, 30 years from now. I started to stare at everyone’s arms, especially elderly women. All the grandmas that pick up the kids in Brody’s classroom, I simply couldn’t stop staring at their arms and imaging a feather there. Finally, I got to the point where I wrapped my brain around something being on my body forever. I think there is a seven stop mental process to getting your first tattoo, especially if your name is Danielle Burkleo.
It didn’t hurt. I was preparing myself for something awful, but I laughed, talked, and instagrammed my way through the 15ish minute process. The tattoo artist asked how I decided on a feather and I explained to him about the verse in Psalms and everything it means to me. He said, I’m a hippie Buddhist myself but that is pretty cool. I said, I think so, too.
When he was done, and for the rest of the night, I felt overwhelmed. That’s the best way I can describe it you. When I looked down at my arm I felt the presence of Jesus so strong and was overwhelmed with everything this meant to me. I was overwhelmed with the love, protection, and goodness of my great God.
Call me crazy but I kind of felt like a new woman.
I’m currently in the peeling process with my tattoo so once I’m done molting, and it completely heals, I’ll share some up close, and real camera, photos.
Now, tell me about you. Do you have tattoos? Do want one? What are the meanings behind yours? It fascinates me to hear your stories.
Check that one off the bucket list, y’all.
1
Getting a tattoo this year is on my bucket list, but I'm terrified! I have the same questions you did. It's relieving knowing it didn't hurt, I'm sure the feeling is at least uncomfortable though, right?
I love your feather and the meaning behind it! Thanks for sharing your tattoo story!
I LOVE IT! I LOVE THE VERSE BEHIND IT. I LOVE THAT YOU WAITED UNTIL YOU WERE AN ADULT! I LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT. I WISH I DIDN'T HAVE MINE….BUT THAT'S BECAUSE I GOT THEM WHEN I WAS A TEENAGER. I have 4 chicken feet on my left foot (which I got with my best friend when we were 18), i have a lizard on my lower back—-what the H*&^ was I thinking, i would SO have this one removed if it wasn't paintful—-and I have my husbands name on my hip bone, which is not visable even with a bikini. So, that ones fine. But I do LOVE tattoos. Really the only regret is the lizard. Dumb Annie! Dumb! I love yours! I don't think you'll ever regret this! You put thought and prayers into it! Good choice!!!!
I don't typically post comments on blogs but I love sharing tattoo stories!
I have three tattoos, for now… My first is in Hebrew down my left rib age. It's based on Matthew 7:24: "(They were) Built on Rock." My husband and I got this tattoo shortly after we were married, representing that our relationship is rooted on The Lord. My second is on my left wrist, they are Mayan glyphs of my husband and daughters birth dates. Should we be blessed with more children I'll add theirs too, probably on a different spot. My third was for the burly girl inside me, a small pink heart on my left ring finger, it's hidden under my wedding rings, but it's for me, and I couldn't think of a better way to commemorate how special my family is to me.
Ahhhh I meant girly not burly!!! Haha
I felt the same way when I got my first tattoo. No regrets! I still love it and I'm planning my next one. xo
I LOVE this tattoo!! I love the meaning behind it, the placement + the design!! Congratulations!!
I long to one day get a tattoo too, but as I change my mind a million times trying to decide on a design it may be awhile till I finally take the plunge!! haha! 🙂
i love this. LOOOOOVE it. you're gorgeous. it's gorgeous. AND, the meaning behind it is awesome. after having four tattoos, the last one being done in 2007, i'm still happy with all of them! i wouldn't change a thing. congrats!
Hey, great job going through with your tattoo dream!! I'm proud of you, and it turned out great! I got a tattoo three summers ago. It's a dove on the inside/top of my left foot. I LOVE it. It means to me what doves represent – love and peace. I had always wanted a tattoo but never knew what. During that summer, I was going through a rough patch in my relationship and I basically spent that summer doing a lot of thinking and soul searching. It did something to my soul — I can't really explain it, but I think you get it. Oh, and when I showed my parents, and they said that if I HAD to get a tattoo, they really liked the one I got. And I do too. I'll try to blog about it sometime soon, and I'll send you the link!
ooooohhhhhhh my goodness, i just love it so much. i've wanted a tat for a long time. but haven't really been sure what to get. i mean if it's going to be on my body for forever, then i want it to mean something. obviously. i think that i'm going to get "Abba, i belong to you." somewhere. i've just been overwhelmed about how good the Father is lately, but i'm not sure if tattooing it is the best way to commemorate that. hahha
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I LOVE it! & it's meaning! I think the tattoos with meaning are the BEST tattoos!
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anna karra said…
hello danielle.i've been reading your blog for some time now but i have never commented.your post today made me want to do just that.i am 35 years old and up to a year ago i had never considered getting a tatoo eventhough my husband has one, so i kind of heard about the process and possible discomfort.the last few months i am considering having one which will read happy he who walks.it is the phrase that has stuck with me ever since my father said it lying in a hospital bed a few days before he passed away, unable to walk or barely do anything beaten by lung cancer.there are tears running down my face as i type out this to you but i think it's so important to realise all the things we take for granted every day and how fast they can be taken from us.i think i might actually do it as a constant reminder of how fragile and beautiful life is.but most of all as a phrase my father said that will stay with me for as long as i live.i really liked yours and the meaning behind it,may it always be your guardian angel.
I have 7, technically 9 but I had one covered and two of them are combined into one. They have all sorts of meanings. I have an owl on my foot in honor of my wise grandmother that passed, a star & swirls on my foot to remind myself of my weight loss & learning to love myself, I have "Rock Your Soul" on my foot to remind myself to enjoy life, I have "You love me. Real or not real?" on my arm. It's the last line from the last book of The Hunger Games series. It has a lot of meaning for me behind it. I have a big colored owl and roses and a book on my back – I just loved it and my friend a tattoo artist designed it just me. It's just for my love of reading and learning. And a celtic heart on my wrist for my husband! I plan on getting a lot more including a thigh piece and a half sleeve, I don't care how they'll look when I'm old. It's not like old people are super hot without tattoos anyway! Lol!
I have some ink on my back. I chose an ambigram of the Latin phrase "Alis Volat Propriis," meaning "she flies with her own wings," because it was the original motto of my home state (Oregon) and is full of her pioneer spirit. The phrase has grown to mean more and more to me as I've learned lessons about trusting the whispering voice inside. I'd like to add the phrase "Dei Gratia" ("by the grace of God") somewhere near it as a reminder that self-determination is one of God's greatest gifts to me.
Love the meaning behind your tattoo, the tattoo itself, and the story that goes with it. I especially love how brave you were while getting one (being bold is my term for the year and reading that Donald Miller quote–if that's not motivation to do something, I don't know what is!).
p.s. I pretty much have a seven step mental process for everything so I'm glad I'm not the only one! 🙂
I LOVE this!
The only tattoo I've ever thought about getting was getting wedding "rings" tattooed on our fingers instead of real rings. The real ones won out, but since then, I've seen this done on so many fingers.
What a gorgeous representation of that verse. Great reminder!
proud of you. 🙂 #2 in august, baby! 🙂 hehe jk
I relate to how you were feeling about getting a tattoo so much! I have wanted a tattoo for as long as I can remember, it wasn't so much the thought of having something on me forever as much as it was the fear of how painful it would be that was keeping me from getting one. I got my first one last october. A girl I grew up with who was like my sister passed away suddenly and my sister asked me if I would want to get a tattoo in her memory, I didn't even think about it and said yes, we went and got matching tattoos in her memory just a few days later. I got a piece of the ee cummings poem that says "I carry your heart" down the inside of my arm and a little red heart on my wrist so she will always be with me. And although it was a very rushed process I love my tattoo so much and what it stands for, Idk that I would have ever ended up getting one had it not been for the reason I got this one. Just a few months later I got a large piece on my other arm that says "fearfully and wonderfully made" which I love also, I am already itching to get more and do an entire sleeve! Hope everyone warned you how addicting they are!
ps. I don't think they hurt either!
I have three tattoos!
1) 3-23-08 (Left wrist) It's the date my best friend passed away. I knew I wanted to get a tattoo in her memory and I ended up deciding on that date.
2)"Live free" my right rib area. I picked this because it's everything my parents talked me growing up. Live your own life, don't follow the crowd. Live free.
3) "Though she be but little, she is fierce." on my my right shoulder. I chose this because it's something my mamaw used to say to me growing up. I've always been pretty shirt and small and it used to frustrate me a lot. She would always remind me that even though I was little I could still make a huge impact. When I was in 7th grade she read the quote from shakespeare to me and I fell in love with it.
I love the meaning behind your feather tattoo! It's so cute!
I have 3. The first one is a very colorful butterfly I got when I was 23 years old. No significance. I simply wanted one, so I went to the shop, looked through a book and picked it out. It never really meant anything to me until I got older….Now it stands for friendship. My best friend sat with me for the 3 hour session, never leaving my side. It's been 7 years since I've seen her, so it's become pretty special.
The second one is on my calf. It's three little birds, for my three kids. It was pretty cool because my mom got one at the same time with me! http://www.amaddoxfamily.com/2011/03/3-little-birds.html
The third one is the last line of my favorite quote. It's pretty special because my son got a tattoo with me, same place, at the same time.
http://www.amaddoxfamily.com/2012/07/tattoos-and-piercings.html
You won't regret it. In fact, you'll probably start trying to figure out what your NEXT one will be! 🙂
I love that it has so much meaning to you. This verse is beautiful! I do not have any tattoos but I love that you found something so special- someday I would love to get a little something too. I would feel like a whole new woman too:)
one of my very favorite verses ever! you go girl. it's beautiful:)
i don't have a tattoo, like you i'm totally nervous about having something there for the rest of my life. and i haven't quite found something that i would want there "forever." but i love hearing meaningful stories behind them. i love yours, that's such a great representation of that verse and God's covering. love it. both my brothers and sister have tattoos. my sister has our father's signature on her foot, he passed away last year. both my brothers have giant crosses from shoulder blade to shoulder blade.
i actually just posted about being a closet tattoo lover. i want one on the back of my neck and my wrist. i just have never done it. i love your feather… super cool! maybe one of these days, i will be posting my "peeling" tattoo. 😉
LOVE this! Love it just so so much. 🙂 So happy you had a good experience. 🙂
My first one was a very tiny fish on my ankle. I actually drew it on with pen for about a year and a half–no joke–until I decided to make it permanent. Guess I was pretty sure about it!
Here's a link to my explanation of the second tattoo I got:
http://sugarpumkin.blogspot.com/2009/07/fresh-ink.html
I'd love to have a half sleeve someday, but I've gotta find a break somewhere between being pregnant and breastfeeding, which has taken up the last almost three years of my life, haha. Hopefully when this little guy weans. 🙂
I've always gone back and forth over the idea of getting a tattoo. I'd want one but couldn't decide WHAT I wanted and felt that if I got a tattoo I needed to be able to pick something and stick with it for quite some time before actually getting one. Also, I've had questions like yours about tattoos when I'm old. What will it look like 20, 30, 40 years from now? Right now I'm actually thinking of getting one in September when my girlfriends and I go on a trip. I'm leaning towards getting the lyrics "I find hope in what eyes can't see" on my foot. Hope, God, music, my favorite band, all wrapped into one tattoo. It's kinda perfect in my eyes. Guess we'll see in September!
you got a tattoo?!?!
I don't have any tattoo's but like you I have been wanting one since i was a teenager. I have been waiting to find something I knew I would be ok with forever. My husband and I just celebrated our anniversary last week (5 years) and decided we are going to both get our first tattoo's together as a couple to celebrate! We will be getting wedding ring tattoos with of our wedding date. I am SO excited… and nervous!
Oh, and I LOVE yours 🙂
SO gorgeous! I have wanted one for a while but I'm debating the placement. I know I want "Bless the Lord, O my soul" or "Tune my heart to sing thy grace" after my favorite songs, but–as a public school teacher–I have to really think about where to put it.
Did it hurt?!
xoxo
oh so lovely. the feather. the verse.
last summer at age 40 i got my first tattoo too. also grateful i did not get the cactus tat i wanted at age 18. yikes. at 40 i opted for 2 simple words in my sister's cursive handwriting located on my inner forearm. on my left arm "grace" and on my right arm "love. daily reminders. DAILY.
I got my first tattoo this past november. It was a huge deal for me. You can take a peak here: http://confessionsofanartmajor.blogspot.com/2012/12/cracked.html
I'm so glad you shared this in your blog! I have two tattoos now and both I got for different reasons. My second one is my favorite because I think it has the most meaning. It's an anchor on my forearm and it has the word 'Joy' above it. I just got it last Fall because I've been realizing how fearful I live my life and how wavering I am. But in reality, God hasn't called me to fear. He is my anchor. He is my strength. When I see it, I think of Him and of how He has not made me to be afraid.
I love the scripture that you have with yours! It makes me want another tattoo! I'll have to wait until I'm married for my third one…we'll see! <3
Thanks for sharing!
i love it! you are a brave one. i am t.e.r.r.i.f.i.e.d. to get one. i'm almost 49. i've thought about it several hundred thousand times during the last 20 or so years. i love the feather and what it stands for.
it's beauty in motion. you're beauty mark.
I have two and already planning my third. My first on is a ladybug for my daughter and my second is cherry blossom flowers for me. My third is going to be the flowers of my heritage, but I haven't settled on the lay out. I love mine and always tell people they are very addicting.
i have a colorful quarter sleeve and I literally have no feelings towards it. Don't love it, don't hate it. It's just tattoos to me. That's kinda weird, I guess. It's just a bunch of stuff, I got it years ago when I was younger. Cluster of stars, a thundercloud with lightning, ocean, purple clouds, two lovebirds in a tree, etc. I don't regret my tattoos, but I wish I had slowed down and planned it out more, because in my opinion, it doesn't really flow very well. In my mother's words as I got them:
"it looks like you just took a magic marker and colored all over your arm"
ha! 🙂
ps I really really like yours
I had to comment on this because the stuff we have in common just reached a new level! My name is Danielle, I am naming my firstborn son Broady (pronounced like Brody) after my mom's maiden name and I have a feather tattoo on the exact same spot on my wrist! My feather is for my great grandmother who's name was Feather. I also have a lotus on my other wrist as a symbol of new beginnings that I got with my best friend after her divorce was finalized, and I have a celtic symbol in the shape of my (maiden) initials on my lower back.
I have three. The one that means the most to me I got on what was supposed to be the due date of our first child (I unfortunately had a missed miscarriage discovered at 9 weeks). It's an infinity symbol with the word love.
Yay! I'm so happy for you friend. I LOVE my tattoos and convinced my fella to get one after just a year of dating. Now, five years together, we're talking about the REALLY BIG ones we've been dreaming of. I just love how tattoos are living art, a way to represent your life and your memories on your body. For me, that will never equal regret.
On the other side, other artists advice that a new tattoo be bathed in very hot water early and often.
PrimitiveOutpost
This is sometimes unavoidable if a lot of work is concentrated on a small area. Don't be alarmed by this as if left alone they will heal perfectly, just be careful not to knock or peel off the scab.Primitive Outpost
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Even if you are not yet ready to pick up a tattoo machine and put needles to skin, there are lots of opportunities to practice fundamental art skills in the shop. tattoo artist
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