Memorial Tattoos

We discussed different reasons for having tattoos in class last week, and one of these reasons is to create a permanent memorial for someone.

Here's what one article says about these tattoos:
Some folks believe that this form of body art is the best way to memorialize people forever. While other folks feel that getting this type of tattoo is not only a way to express grief externally but more of a ritual -- A way to acknowledge a person and their role in your life. One therapist even compared Memorial tattoos to gravestones or epitaphs.
-Memorial Tattoos

I have a tattoo in memory of a boyfriend who committed suicide several years ago, and it definitely helped me find closure. I am not religious, but I craved something tangible that would help me immortalize him and the way that one event changed my life. The pain involved in getting the tattoo actually helped me cope-- the real physical pain helped me to hurt again for losing him, but at the end that pain ended and I was left with my memorial tattoo. With it, I was able to move on.