Aileen and Valerie
Just Like a Tattoo - 01/17/10 - Day 17
Today we went to different tattoo shops since my cousin is planning on getting one. I am glad she is taking the time to meet the artists she has chosen to make sure what she is getting is what she really wants. I really like her reasoning behind the tattoo. Although she has been getting plenty of opposition from the family, I will support her 100%.
The outing today gave me a lot to think about. I personally only have my ears pierced. The day I turned 18 I wanted to get my industrial pierced. I am really scared of needles so actually deciding to get it done was a big deal. Failing to getting it is actually a really silly story involving Valerie. As I was walking out the door, my mother decided to inform me that getting the piercing meant I couldn’t make anymore gay friends. The thing was that I had just started talking to Valerie as a friend and I knew that they wouldn’t let me hang out with her. I immediately turned around and sat on the couch and announced that I didn’t need the piercing. Yes, I was a drama queen but it showed my parents that I wasn’t going to let them judge my friends. Since then, my mom jokes around and tells me she only said it so I wouldn’t get the piercing. Well, it worked.
Valerie has a tattoo which has troubled me from time to time. I don’t mind the reason why she has it at all. To each their own. I know what Valerie and I have and we don’t need permanent proof to strengthen our feelings. What I couldn’t understand was how easily it was for her to get something so permanent at the time she did. As I struggled to completely comprehend her decision and reasoning, I began to put myself in her situation. If at the time I believed my feeling with the person I was involved in were forever, of course I would do the same thing. I would do it because I was hopeful that the feelings would last. To any outsider, my decision would seem like the dumbest thing in the world.
I have heard plenty of times that matching tattoos are the kiss of death. And that’s when I realized that I had questioned the motives of the person I love. I was too caught up in her illogical decision that I forgot to see the beauty in her tattoo. These three little pink flowers that I once wish would disappear opened up an idea that I never thought possible. And now I can proudly say that I understand exactly why Valerie decided to get her tattoo and I would never want her to regret it. Today I learned an extremely valuable lesson, and although it took me almost a year to fully understand it, I am glad I can move on from it.
A relationship is like a tattoo. At first, the idea is what drives the action. You get to know everything about the person you’re interested in (tattoo artist) to make sure you’re compatible (portfolio). When the actual session (first date) is set, all you can think about is how it will be. After the tattoo is finished, you take care of it while showing it off, just like in a relationship. You make sure everything is perfect while introducing your gal, or guy, to the world. But taking care of a tattoo is the hard part. You can either ignore the instructions given to you by your artist and risk damages (moving too fast), or you can be extremely careful and ensure complete healing (official relationship status).
This analogy helped me understand the different relationships Valerie has been involved in. I always wondered why things happened so quickly within her relationships, and it’s because her initial happiness undermined the lasting effects. The tattoo (relationship) she was in was hit by direct sunlight (too much public exposure) which caused it to fade (end).
In our case, she remembered to let her relationship fully develop before starting to show it off. This allowed us to get to know each other completely before accepting external opinion.
This simple tattoo dilemma allowed both Valerie and I to understand that everything has a consequence, whether good or bad. We learned that communication is key and we should always ask the questions that irk us the most. The relationship Valerie and I have works so well because we know how to communicate with each other. We’re not afraid to let each other know what we like, dislike, and desire.
Just Like a Tattoo - 01/17/10 - Day 17
Today we went to different tattoo shops since my cousin is planning on getting one. I am glad she is taking the time to meet the artists she has chosen to make sure what she is getting is what she really wants. I really like her reasoning behind the tattoo. Although she has been getting plenty of opposition from the family, I will support her 100%.
The outing today gave me a lot to think about. I personally only have my ears pierced. The day I turned 18 I wanted to get my industrial pierced. I am really scared of needles so actually deciding to get it done was a big deal. Failing to getting it is actually a really silly story involving Valerie. As I was walking out the door, my mother decided to inform me that getting the piercing meant I couldn’t make anymore gay friends. The thing was that I had just started talking to Valerie as a friend and I knew that they wouldn’t let me hang out with her. I immediately turned around and sat on the couch and announced that I didn’t need the piercing. Yes, I was a drama queen but it showed my parents that I wasn’t going to let them judge my friends. Since then, my mom jokes around and tells me she only said it so I wouldn’t get the piercing. Well, it worked.
Valerie has a tattoo which has troubled me from time to time. I don’t mind the reason why she has it at all. To each their own. I know what Valerie and I have and we don’t need permanent proof to strengthen our feelings. What I couldn’t understand was how easily it was for her to get something so permanent at the time she did. As I struggled to completely comprehend her decision and reasoning, I began to put myself in her situation. If at the time I believed my feeling with the person I was involved in were forever, of course I would do the same thing. I would do it because I was hopeful that the feelings would last. To any outsider, my decision would seem like the dumbest thing in the world.
I have heard plenty of times that matching tattoos are the kiss of death. And that’s when I realized that I had questioned the motives of the person I love. I was too caught up in her illogical decision that I forgot to see the beauty in her tattoo. These three little pink flowers that I once wish would disappear opened up an idea that I never thought possible. And now I can proudly say that I understand exactly why Valerie decided to get her tattoo and I would never want her to regret it. Today I learned an extremely valuable lesson, and although it took me almost a year to fully understand it, I am glad I can move on from it.
A relationship is like a tattoo. At first, the idea is what drives the action. You get to know everything about the person you’re interested in (tattoo artist) to make sure you’re compatible (portfolio). When the actual session (first date) is set, all you can think about is how it will be. After the tattoo is finished, you take care of it while showing it off, just like in a relationship. You make sure everything is perfect while introducing your gal, or guy, to the world. But taking care of a tattoo is the hard part. You can either ignore the instructions given to you by your artist and risk damages (moving too fast), or you can be extremely careful and ensure complete healing (official relationship status).
This analogy helped me understand the different relationships Valerie has been involved in. I always wondered why things happened so quickly within her relationships, and it’s because her initial happiness undermined the lasting effects. The tattoo (relationship) she was in was hit by direct sunlight (too much public exposure) which caused it to fade (end).
In our case, she remembered to let her relationship fully develop before starting to show it off. This allowed us to get to know each other completely before accepting external opinion.
This simple tattoo dilemma allowed both Valerie and I to understand that everything has a consequence, whether good or bad. We learned that communication is key and we should always ask the questions that irk us the most. The relationship Valerie and I have works so well because we know how to communicate with each other. We’re not afraid to let each other know what we like, dislike, and desire.