"MORE THAN A ZODIAC SIGN"

As i was growing up i have always thought how silly it was for my mother to have a lion tattoo. I know she has in interest in lions, but I was taught tattoos need to have a powerful meaning. You have to be really sure on what you want to get tattooed because that mark will be a part of you for the rest of your life. This was my mother's second tattoo. She got it when she was 22 years old. Growing up my mother loved this cartoon show named,Simba the White Lion, that is when she first started her interests in lions. As she got older her friends started to call her "Leona" in english pronounced Lion, because of her wild curly hair. A lion represents leadership, courage, boldness, and fearless. And these are all representations of what my mother's characteristics are. Being in and out of prison resulted in my mother loosing my two older siblings for a while. Being away from her children was the worst feeling ever. "I needed to bold, because time will pass, and I won't be behind prison bars forever." As a drug addict in her young age my mother had the courage to turn her life around and get rid of those bad habits. "I was bold enough to take a stand and be clean." For as long as I can remember my mother has always been a leader. When I was younger my father always worked long shifts to provide for our big family. I only seen him when I was ready to fall asleep during the week days, and on weekends. My mother took a big job and succeeded at raising 10 kids.... she was fearless. Her lion constantly reminds her that she can do anything. When people first see her lion tattoo, they think she is a leo. For one she is not a leo, and her tattoo is much more meaningful than a zodiac sign.


Tattoos are more popular in today's society. Not fully acceptable though, because if a person has tattoos covering their face, they are less employable and will only qualify for low paying jobs. People who are more conservative have negative assumptions about a person with a tattoo. They think having tattoos makes you bad, means you're part of a gang, you're a rebel, you only want attention, and in some cases it means you're uneducated. Everyone wants to make up their own story about why someone chooses to do something. We all judge and misinterpret decisions people make. Tattoos can be a cultural significance. They can be used for some sort of identity. Society influences our perspective of certain things by brainwashing us and telling us what we are suppose to think.

In the environment where I have grown up, tattoos are acceptable. I never had a negative assumption about tattoos. To me tattoos are a form of art, feelings, and trust. I knew my mother was gang affiliated at a time in her life, and I always thought she got it because of who others identified her as. But now I know the tattoo has more meanings. It describes who she is and it reminds her of the hardships she has overcame.