I love my tattoos, I only have two so far but they are very meaningful to me. I want to share the meaning and thought behind one of them.
Growing up, I was always the wild child. I was rebellious in many ways but mostly because I was always curious. As a child I would build “traps to catch burglars”, I would ride my bike so fast and hit the breaks very suddenly until I was the winner with the darkest tire mark. I always had scraped knees and dirt under my fingers. I enjoyed the outdoors so much. On days I was feeling like a daredevil, I would even go a little further than I was allowed to go, because my mom couldn’t see me. As time went on, my teen years were also filled with pushing the limits.
Like any teenager, I was filled with such a need to explore the beautiful city I live in, Chicago. My friends and I would take the train into the loop and just walk and walk for hours, talking, not knowing where we would end up or what we would find. The feeling of just “being”. Being in that moment, wondering what our life would be in years to come. Enjoying life’s simplicity. Breathing in the warm breeze, and truly feeling the sun and wind on your skin. Sometimes my friends and I wouldn’t talk; we would just listen to the world around us, the busy city that is Chicago during rush hour. It was beautiful; now imagine the city at night? Well, I didn’t want to imagine it, one night I snuck out of my house (sorry again, Mom) because I was determined to watch the moon from the lake. That’s what I did, that night will forever be with me. It was so peaceful yet, thrilling. I was a teenage girl out at night past curfew (both legally and at home), with no regrets.
Then came my 20s, I’m married now and things haven’t changed, I’m still afraid of my Mom. Just kidding, she’s my best friend.
I am still the same curious girl who loves to explore and make lasting memories, except now I have Alejandra to do these things with. We love to explore our city but through food, we enjoy all types of food and have been to many restaurants throughout the years. We also love to travel and have a list of places we will visit throughout our lifetime. Although, we have become very busy these past two years and not being able to travel like we wished, we are committed to getting back out there. Well, after COVID-19 is cleared, of course.
You are probably wondering what this all has to do with my tattoo, right? Well, my tattoo is on my forearm is a symbol of “exploration” it’s facing me, it’s a tattoo for me. It’s a promise and reminder to myself to always, always explore. Never get tired of exploring. What does that mean? Well it is a broad term on purpose. It is very important for me as an individual to continue to taste new foods and not be afraid to meet new people. To be open to new places, changes, languages, and ideas. Through this, I will continue to grow, and learn new things about myself. Blogging is something I never thought I would be doing but here I am, writing about myself and hoping someone will find this interesting. To whoever is reading this, I encourage you to “explore”, you may find yourself liking something new. Whatever age you may be, the world is made up of so much for YOU to explore.
Much love,
-Claudia
