Tatted Ups and Downs

I have a tattoo. Do you? 

It wasn’t always the case. When I first became a cop in 1993, the tattoo culture was in its infancy, still the purview of bikers and sailors.  Tattoos weren’t necessarily respectable. We even used to joke about certain groups of criminals having a disfavorable tattoos-to-teeth ratio. The department had strict rules about them, as did many others in the country.

But slowly, culture changed. The younger generation started getting tribal arm bands and Japanese Kanji symbols that they hoped said “wisdom” and not “regret.” More and more “respectable” people started to get tattoos. This included some of the cops I worked with. First, it was the more adventurous or expressive people I knew. Then it slowly migrated to the rest of us.

Along the way, my wife got more than one. So did my daughter. My friends started to do so, as well.

I resisted.

Why?

Some of it was the traditionalist cop in me. Since I was neither biker nor sailor nor one of those who failed the “tatts to teeth” test, I had no business getting a tattoo. But that was only part of it. I’ve also resisted going with the crowd. I mean, I didn’t watch The Sopranos until it had been on for three seasons, strictly because everyone told me I should.

I know. That nonconformist tendency seems to run counter to my first reason, doesn’t it? But we’re all complicated creatures.

Anyway, eventually… in my own time… on my own terms… I decided I wanted to get a tattoo. I knew exactly what it would be, too — a Springsteen lyric. I was a little torn between a few possibilities, but didn’t take long to settle on a snippet from “Badlands.” This is a song that explores how rough life can be, but is also about resilience and tenacity. It’s about understanding that… “it ain’t no sin to be glad you’re alive.”

I made sure to get it in the same font as the lyrics on the album liner notes, which any hardcore Boss fan will recognize.

Here it is:

I’m glad I did it. Whenever I’m down or just want to feel grateful, I can glance at my forearm and there it is. It is a mantra of encouragment and a reminder of gratitude for every moment we get to experience on this planet.

Interestingly, I was at a conference recently, doing a “speed-dating-for-authors” event, in which two authors spend a few minutes at a table introducing our work, then move on. As I finished up with one table and stood to go on to the next, one of the readers commented on my tatt.

“That’s an interesting tattoo for a cop to have,” she said.

What could I say to that? I only had about forty seconds to set up at the next table, so there was no time to explain. But maybe I didn’t need to.

“Yes,” I said. “Yes it is.”

Do you have any tattoos? Which is your favoirite? Is there a story behind it? Take a photo and share both!

Source: All The Madness In My Soul