I’ve been thinking about getting a tattoo for a LONG time, and finally decided to take the plunge this summer.
The two big questions are “What are you going to get?” & “Where are you going to put it?” What I wanted became clear this spring, when a friend mentioned an old French tradition: criminals were branded with the fleur-de-lys! For her family, this meant tattoos are still associated with shame. In my mind, thinking about my genealogy back to France, it seemed likely that a few of my ancestors might have been branded, as they headed out for the New World.
The question of where involves pain management, as well as display. I didn’t want an in-your-face location, but rather one that was easy to hide, or display, as needed. I settled on the inside of my calf, high enough to be covered by crop pants, and with a good ratio of muscle to nerve to alleviate pain. Now I feel part of a worldwide tribe, bonded with tattooed folk and French heritage alike.