REVISION

                                                         "More Than A Zodiac Sign" 

As I was growing up I have always thought about how silly it was for my mother to have a lion tattoo. I know she has an interest in lions, but I was taught that tattoos needed to have a powerful meaning. When a conversation about tattoos occurs with my family members, I always hear a couple of voices complain about how much regret they have towards a tattoo. Then after one of my family members is through complaining, if they notice a young person listening, they start saying that if you want a tattoo you should be certain about what you want. Because it can affect you positively or negatively at any time in your life. 

Although my mother has other tattoos I will focus on only one. 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 started her interests in lions. As she got older her friends started calling her "Leona" in english pronounced Lion, because of her wild curly hair. At first my mother got the tattoo only because of her interests in lions, but as she got older the meaning behind her tattoo became powerful. This tattoo became a part of her identity that she accepts, just like Gloria Alzaldua accepting her identity of being a lesbian, a feminist , mexican american, but speaks Tex-Mex spanish and other languages. In How to Tame a Wild Tongue, she writes "So, if you want to really hurt me, talk badly about my language." Gloria is arguing about her identity crisis; being patient over a lifetime of pain, & confusion, self doubt and worthlessness until she finally accepts legitimacy of her language and then herself. 

A lion represents leadership, courage, boldness, and fearlessness. I believe these are all representations of what my mother's characteristics are. Being in and out of prison resulted in my mother losing custody of my two older siblings for a while. Being away from her children was the worse feeling ever. "I needed to be bold, because time will pass, andI won't be behind 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 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 you plan on working in business, government, education, law or any similar industry, you should make sure that you can cover up tattoos with normal business attire. This leaves any tattoo in visible areas out of the question. Specifically on the hands, neck, and face. Unless you plan on working in a creative field, then it wouldn't be as difficult for anyone who seeks a career outside of the creative field. People who are more conservative have negative assumptions about a person with a tattoo. Conservative people think having tattoos make 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 our minds and telling us what we are supposed 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, but more importantly they have a powerful meaning. A tattoo is self expression with powerful meanings that reflect a story about a certain time in a person's life. Feelings change and people change, but because of your specific tattoo, somehow your past is still a part of you. Although I may look at other people's choice of tattoo and not think of it's importance to me, I will now recognize that their choice of self expression was and or is meaningful to them. I knew my mother was gang affiliated at a time in her life, and I always thought she got the tattoo 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.