SHEsaysWITHaSMILE.blogspot.com

Write about meaning. by (me!) sandra, tvgp

permanent:  my tattoo. -its meaning to (me!) is permanent, although i continue to play..   'it means conquer the world with kindness'

and I used to say, 'it means.. conquer the world one man at a time ...   with kindness'

but.. the whole, 'one man at a time' thing seem to stir up ideas counter to my intentions so I dropped that part out..

~of great interest to me.. are people, who upon learning my story, become almost apologetic about their own tattoos:

"yeah.. I got this..  I don't know.. because I liked it I guess.. But it doesn't have any meaning"

I actually don't think tattoos need to have any meaning beyond the fact you liked it and wanted one..

-my analogy would be home decor.  -maybe you have an heirloom piece that once belonged to a beloved relative, and even though it doesn't match a thing in your home; isn't something you would ever purchase from a store today..  you keep it, because it has this special meaning.

and on the very same shelf..  you have a piece..  because you like it.   -that's the beginning and end of its meaning; it is not utilitarian.. it is not heirloom, it has no special meaning, associations..  -you just liked it, bought it.. put it on your shelf to enhance your environment and enjoy..

you need no other reason.

-and I was struck by meaning again, when during a recent /and very ongoing

decluttering session..  

I happened across several pictures.   some of which contain tons of meaning; some no meaning beyond finding a thing appealing enough to take a picture

and some where the meaning has changed.  -and some where the meaning has been entirely lost:

once upon a time, this picture.. of him & I..   in love..   it meant the world to me..

and then I learned that at the very moment our cute couple picture was taken..  where we look ..  at least in this picture.. We look in love with each other..

turns out that wasn't true.    -the meaning got vacuumed write out of the picture and so...  "To the trash can with you!"

and I realized again..  How the truth..  

The meaning of the word truth:  is permanent.   And there is something very beautiful about that... 

things and words and people whose meaning remain to us permanent and true..

and i love that about my own tattoo..   its meaning is permanent.  I play with connotation/denotation.. but

what it meant to me when I got it almost 10 years ago..

what it means to me now..

what it will mean to me 20 years from now..

so I toast this morning to "permanent ink!"

and shall write a poem soon..   Called,   'ain't no pencil tattoos'

In Jesus name,  amen.

posted by SHE @ 9:38 AM