Wednesday, June 21, 2006

close as a tattoo

Now that I've succeeded in surprising a sufficient number of people in my life, I'm ready to show the world my first tattoo! After years of journal-sketches and toggling back and forth between images, I decided on a compass rose, the beautiful symbol found on old nautical maps. (Thanks to Mike at Stark Raving Tattoo in Victoria for his beautiful work!)

This new mark on my body symbolizes the two poles I often find myself struggling between: home and travel, stasis and momentum, permanency and adventure. The prophet Isaiah said "Whether you turn to the right or to the left you will hear a voice behind you saying: This is the way, walk in it." That kind of faith--found somehow in even the seemingly random wanderings--has always given me a sense of direction that is more comforting that latitudes and longitudes.

I might lose my way again. I might make new trails that branch off of the ones others think I should be on. I might fall, I might follow the wrong star. I might wander, but as Tolkien says, I will not neccessarily be lost. Something will always point me Home. Some wind will always push me, sometimes gently and sometimes not, towards my own True North.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey Jen,
This is totally unrelated to your post, but I need your address for the progressive supper on Friday... ASAP.

Thanks!

Anna said...

I think it's beautiful Jen! It suits you very well, especially with your trademark swirl in the middle ;)
But is the N really backwards? It looks ok to me...

Anonymous said...

Cool tattoo :)I heard a Fother's day sermon on Sat which used the compass as an example:

N = Nobility - high character
E = Example - kids will do what you do not what you say
W = Worth - self esteem, we all need affirmation, even Jesus was affirmed by His Father
S = Sacrifice

Neat ideas I guess
Most of all I pray that you continue to be guided by the "True North"

Mark said...

I'm a little puzzled about the apparent "backwards" 'N' as well.

The Hippie Triathlete said...

Mark and Anna--I'm an idiot...

Sometimes when you look at something too much it suddenly seems wrong. Hm.