healing
How to heal fully and properly.
An Armor of Ink
The first 6 to 8 weeks of a college semester are known as the “Red Zone,” and this is the time period a student is most likely to be sexually assaulted or raped. It’s a fact emblazoned across my mind and embedded in my bones. But it’s one I didn’t know - until I was raped at the beginning of my college experience. My collegiate years were marred by a man with no human decency, but reclaimed by one who is a master with a tattoo machine. Through his work, my arm has evolved into a testament of the strength of survivors and daily affirmations that I am more than a statistic.
By Jennifer Miller5 years ago in Motivation
Tattoos can tell a lot about the person who wear them
Tattoo’s are one of the world’s most artistic way of self expression. Whether you have them because they look pretty or because it holds meaning that is dear to you. I myself have 37, give or take a few depending on how you count them. However, this story is about two of them. My all time favorite would be my very first tattoo. Nothing too big and fancy, just a little butterfly with a tiger as a face. To me, it means a lot. Everyone always asks how can something so simple and trivial can possibly be important enough to want to etch it into my skin forever. Well the simple answer is, it’s symbolic. However, today I will give the explained version. The butterfly stands for the fragile state of my mind, body, and mental while I was in an abusive situationship. the tiger face represent the buried strength I had to not end myself, to wake up every morning and not leave my children orphaned. As a whole it stands as a memory of what was and how far I came from that, growth and progress, a well as a reminder that I’m no longer a victim and that I’m free from the clutches of an evil that could’ve and almost succeeded at taking my life, and my sanity. Now on to tattoo number 2. This tattoo in particular has a funny story behind it and a deep meaning. This tatto was strategically placed to cover up a, what was I thinking moment. Let me take you back to a time, when YouTube challenges was in their prime. It was the time of the chubby bunny challenge, the cinnamon challenge, and the challenge that scarred me for life, the salt and ice challenge. My sister along with my little cousin, I shall refer to them as the spawns of satan, came to me with the challenge with the biggest smiles on their faces. I should’ve took that as a hint and ran for the hills, however, I chose to go along with it. We gathered the materials, salt, ice, and a rag, so now we set and ready to begin. I spread the salt on my wrist and add the ice. Satan’s spawns laughed, but I had no idea why. Nothing was happening at this point. Next thing I know they grabbed the rag and put it on top of the ice and squeezed, before I knew it I screamed out in agonizing pain. My skin literally felt like it was burning but cold. After a tear dropped and they let go. I had a huge frost bite that left welts, but that was it nothing more nothing less, so I felt as if I came, conquered, and crushed this challenge. Oh was I mistaken, three hours later my skin started to peel. A hour later I was in the emergency room at children’s hospital with a fourth degree chemical burn that burned through a tendon, a stupid look on my face, and a heart full of regret. I was told that if my skin healed it would be discolored forever, and were they right. I ended up with a huge, and hideous discolored scar. after a while I got tired of looking at it and wanted it covered. What better way to cover a scar, than with some sick ink. So I sat in a corner and came up with a design that I feel do exactly what I needed it to. Called up my friend for some ink therapy, and together we made magic.
By Shaquana Garris5 years ago in Motivation
This Is Gonna Hurt a Little
I fidgeted anxiously in the passenger seat, suddenly unsure of this decision, despite long hours of examining the details, and careful weighing of my options. The conviction of 30 seconds past had evaporated. My best friend had driven us here, out of support and encouragement, but I could sense her uncertainty as well. I understood that the consequences of this appointment would be permanent, forever altering the way in which I viewed myself, and perhaps how others would view me as well. “It’s now or never,” she joked, and we resolutely exited her beat up Toyota and entered into the experience that would indelibly mark my existence.
By Sara Dugas5 years ago in Motivation
New Beginnings
I've hated life since I could possibly remember, mostly because I had shitty parents as a child but also because I've realized this world is full of hateful people. I come from a real crappy upbringing and I know that's no excuse to act the way I do but you try living with abuse and craziness every day. They say you can't use your childhood as a crutch but there's no way around it. Your childhood is what shapes you. It's what makes you who you are. I had to learn at a young age to not cry, to walk on eggshells around my bipolar mother. I had to give up my childhood and become an adult fast. At the age of 10, I was cooking and cleaning and doing everything humanly possible to avoid pissing my mother off so I wouldn't get beat.
By LeAnn Murch5 years ago in Motivation
The ways I fall
I fall for all the wrong things. I fall just like normal people do on a daily basis. I see ads and magazine covers and I'm intrigued by what's in front of me so I go after it and constantly think about it until it drives me insane so I have to buy it. I fall for the gimmicks and tricks advertisement agencies come up with to reel us in and get us to buy their products or invest in their companies.
By LeAnn Murch5 years ago in Motivation
Being Bold
Being bold is effing hard, but it doesn't make you any less bold for feeling the weight of just how hard it is. Get this, I woke up one day with a case of the motivation Mondays; you know, ready to conquer life and discard all my bad habits, change my lifestyle choices, rid of any bad coping mechanisms, and really try to embody this dream version of myself. Now, before I go into this any farther, I truly want to know if this has ever happened to you. You just wake up one day feeling like you could sub out for Superman. If you've answered yes, then you know exactly what I mean what I say this is a really awesome experience for like 24 hours then all the sudden the crash hits and shit gets real.
By Dani B5 years ago in Motivation
The Silence
5 pm! Still got 5more hours you til the end of the day. Looking through the glass doors surrounded by brown material that costs a lot of money. Nothing but people wearing masks and cars going crazy. Traffic everywhere & yelling pedestrians seem like a very busy afternoon.
By The Kind Quill5 years ago in Motivation
