From Signs Extra.
Outdoor appropriate tattoos were a topic on a forum I semi-lurk in at this point.
What ink to commemorate outdoor journeys? Wha tattoos are meaningful? What tattoos to celebrate an important aspect of life?
When I finished the Triple Crown of backpacking, I briefly thought of getting some ink.
I didn’t.
Too expensive, I wasn’t sure what tattoo would mean something to me ten, twenty, or thirty years from now. And, frankly, it became a low priority as I was looking for a job and then adjusting to working in a beige box again after walking across the Rockies.
As with many fleetings thoughts, they went away. To be forgotten.
I have not thought about tattoos in quite some time.
For friends and acquaintances of mine, they truly do express a part of their personality, commemorate important events, and express what is important in their lives.
Nearly twenty years later, I have some scar tissue on my forearm from a nasty fall in Maine. This tat is far more aesthetically pleasing. From Pinterest.
And that is good. And works for them. Does not work for me, however.
But the more I thought about it; I think many of us have tattoos.
Ones given by experiencing life.
I am going to be 43 next month.
Overall, I am very healthy. Speed or dexterity were never my strong suits. I have not noticed any decline in what I enjoy doing in the outdoors (Plodding ahead. For many hours. With ample amount of food and wine many times. 🙂 )
But after more than twenty years of active outdoor pursuits, I have my tattoos. Of sorts.
My arms and legs have scars from falls, tumbles, scrapes, and bruises from years past.
I was blase’ about sun protection when younger and I have sun spots where my cheeks bones are located.
And partially because of the above, and partially because I am going to be 43, some noticeable lines are now showing up in the corner of my eyes esp. when I smile. Since I smile a lot when outdoors, the wrinkles show up quite a bit. 🙂
So I do not have outdoor ink.
But I do have some outdoor related tattoos. From being outside a lot over the years.
Here’s for another twenty, forty, or more years in the outdoors creating them.