The Mountains are Calling...

  "I will lift up my eyes 

           to the mountains — 

                    from where shall my help come?"     

    

   ~Psalm 120:1

The mountains are calling, and I must go.... but in this case, right into a tattoo shop....

The mountains remind me of home. They have also been a source of inspiration and healing for me, especially this past year, so for the past few months it's been on my heart to commemorate that with a tattoo. 

I thought about getting it before I left for New Zealand, but I was so busy running around, seeing people, packing, dancing in Greek festivals, etc., and it just didn't feel like the right time to do it. So I figured I would just come home from studying abroad and get it sometime early next year, but I couldn't stop thinking about it. 

So on a sunny Tuesday afternoon a couple weeks ago, I walked into a local tattoo shop by myself. I went with a photo in hand and a concept in mind. I intended to get a quote, maybe have the artist sketch something up, and then schedule an appointment to get it done later. But when he asked me if I wanted to get it done that afternoon...I paused for only two or three seconds before I responded, "Why not? Let's do it!" 

It was one of the most impulsive things I have ever done, and it was fantastic.

At the same time, though, I've known for a while that this is what I wanted to do--I just wasn't expecting it to happen in New Zealand! Also, for the record, my mom knew I wanted to get a mountain tattoo...but she wasn't expecting it to happen in NZ, either. Once she gave me the wise suggestion of waiting until I was 23 to get a tattoo--which is really smart! But I couldn't be that patient. ;)

I know some people do not approve of tattoos, and I understand and respect that. I admit my tattoo probably won't look very pretty when I'm seventy years old (but by then I probably won't care). And I'm pretty sure the Orthodox Church doesn't approve of tattoos, either... But when I made my decision I knowingly accepted these risks, and I have had no regrets.

"We never grow tired of each other, the mountain and I." ~Li Po

I absolutely love love love my tattoo. After using coconut oil on it for the past two weeks, it's almost entirely healed up. By the way, for anyone considering a tattoo, I wholeheartedly recommend using coconut oil on it. It has anti-bacterial properties, is more moisturising than baby lotion, and my skin was only the least bit itchy!