I got my first tattoo when I was 25; even though I had wanted one for ages before that, I waited until I had found exactly the right artist to do the design I wanted. He and worked on the pic together until I was satisfied, and then he inked it for me on the front of my right thigh, ajacent to my bikini triangle. Having gotten a stylized pic of the Pisces fish, I knew it was a piece that I wouldn't get tired of having or be embarassed about when I got older and I got in a spot that wasn't visible unless I was wearing a bathing suit or in an intimate situation.
Getting the tat was something I did just for me as a symbol of rebirth after spiritual death from a particularly nasty occurance. 7 years later, I had fire and water tattooed encircling the original design to mark the achievement of balance in my life after a very long struggle for it. My tat is personal, I didn't pick #5 off the wall of flash just because it's trendy or looks cute, it's something with a very personal meaning and I will never regret it. Even my Mum, who almost fainted when she first saw it 14 yrs ago, now loves it, although she's quick to add she would never get one. I got my tat for the same reason aboriginal warriors in North America did the Sundance ritual and proudly wore the scars afterwards; it's the symbol remembrance of the rite of passage from one stage of my life to the next. It's unique to me and like me; I'm not #5 off the wall:!:
