A tattoo has many different meanings, and reasons for getting one vary from person to person.

Whether it is a huge tattoo sleeve that you’ve been thinking of since you were 9 years old or if it’s a little symbol on your back that is a reminder of someone you love, it is something you will never forget.  For some people, looking at the date that is permanently on their forearm brings them closure.

Tattoos are a way to express oneself in a way that may be painful, but worth it. Needles freak a lot of people out, including me, but I promise I am going to be one of those people who express myself through getting permanent ink on my body.

Feeling a needle puncture your skin thousands of times over a long period of time does not sound appealing to most people, but 14 percent of Americans are willing to go through that pain to have their bodies permanently marked on by someone they do not know, all because the tattoo means something special to them–Or because they just felt like making their parents mad.

If someone needs to remember something every day for the rest of his life, what better way than to put permanent ink on his of her body?

Sure, that guy with the huge cat tattoo on the back of his thigh looks just a tad ridiculous or that girl with her whole back covered looks sketchy, but for all you know they love that tattoo with everything in them.  When I see someone walking down the street with a gorgeous sleeve covering their whole leg I do not judge them. It actually makes me happy. Seeing other people’s tattoos is like being able to see a story written on their body without even knowing their name.

Tattoo style is copied frequently, but people and artists can make it their own by adding some different aspects into the design or coloring of the tattoo, helping it become more personal. There is a reason Americans spend almost $2 billion a year on tattoos.

Not everyone can get tattooed by the famous tattoo artist Kat Von D, but no one is particularly willing to go to someone that gives free tattoos in their neighbor’s garage. Tattoos are expensive for a reason. They are hard. Imagine sitting in a room with the same person for eight or more hours stabbing them repeatedly with a needle. Some people squirm and it is the artist’s job to be able to keep their hand from slipping and ruining the person’s skin forever.

Musicians, actors, adults, teachers and even teenagers get tattoos. Some people just are not the tattoo type of people, but just because they do not want their bodies permanently marked what gives them the right to judge those who do?