Day 10 - Butterflies are free, originally uploaded by clarity25.

“Happiness is like a butterfly which, when pursued, is always beyond our grasp, but, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you.”
-Nathanial Hawthorne


I knew from age 12 that I wanted a butterfly tattoo below my bellybutton. My friends spoke about getting various cartoon characters, dolphins, stars and hearts. Their ideas changed yearly but mine remained the same. It wasn't just a passing fancy.

On my 18th birthday, one day before I had to leave for college in another state, I went to a tattoo parlour with my boyfriend.

I knew I wanted an tiger swallowtail. My talented boyfriend sketched it out on a piece of paper and handed it to me. It was perfect.

I told the tattoo artist that I wanted every color in the rainbow. I laid down, closed my eyes and smiled..

While I listened to the buzz of the needle, I thought about how my life was stretched out in front of me. Freedom was right around the corner. I was going to art school, I was an adult. I was finally emerging from my cocoon and becoming a butterfly. It was really a symbolic moment for me.

Everytime I look down at this tattoo, I smile. I reminds me of who I am and where I want to be. It reminds me to appreciate these years. These moments. This life.

The boyfriend that drew this butterfly passed away 2 years later. He was my first love.

That's the story behind the butterfly tattoo.

Day 10 of 365 Days