Beautiful words that resonate deeply with me, having lost my mum only a few years ago, and now living alongside my lovely Mr.M while he walks this path, living with cancer. Indeed, I watch the sun and the moon every single day, and am aware keenly of the passage of time. That we are time. Moments.
Sorry for your loss, Jackie. I lost my mom last December. Itโs a tough reminder that we are here for such a brief time. Sending lots of healing energy to you and Mr. M.
In 2023, when I had to give up my teaching career due to health problems, I used a glittery purple gel pen (a gift from a student) to write the word "fly" in pretty cursive on the back of my left hand, near my thumb. I kept writing it there for weeks, and writing letters to students, until that pen ran out of ink. It's an acronym for self-care and recovery from codependency: "First, Love Yourself." For me, it was also a reminder that the limitations of my physical body and energy do not define my life. I can fly, with my words and paintings, to any time or place I can dream up or remember. My voice can fly in song. My ideas can fly and create ripples of change, if I am vulnerable and brave enough to share them. I'd forgotten about that temporary, shiny tattoo on my hand. Thanks for the reminder. ๐
Two tattoos. One are swallows in flight that form the words Be Brave. On the other shoulder is a peony in memory of my mother whose garden would fill with these beautiful flowers. My next tattoo will be a phoenix at the base of my neck- rising from the ashes.
Such a powerful experience and message about time and presence and life. I read this in the morning sitting in the sunlight in the Algarve of Portugal. I reminisced about how I got here and allowed all the memories, joyful and sorrowful, to penetrate my being. I have your book Kokoro on my nightstand and often spontaneously open to a page to read what needs to find me. Thank you for this moment to land this quiet space today.
"Un peu de love et de tendresse" would be the words I would tattoo on the base of my thumb of my left wrist. As a reminder to always treat me with kindness and tenderness. I can't find words to tell you how much I loved this piece. (essay is that the right word in English?) - thank you soul much for sharing it with us. I now want to go and find Kokoro to read it. (The Kanji of Kokoro would also have been something I could consider - ) Thank you !
What an emotional essay. I definitely felt the stages of this journey, as you described them. Time I find, is such an interesting subject. Iโm just reading A Brief History Of Time as research for my book, but I find some of the concepts hard to grasp! Many of my tattoos are in code, I like having them as my little secret. I have a Chinese symbol for friendship from my best friend, I have my grandparents initials numerically, I have my brothers initial safely tucked behind my ear forever. I have strength in Sanskrit, to remind me of my time in India and I have a feminine version of a tattoo that my brother had on my wrist. I have always wanted โtemet nosceโ somewhere, but it seems very popular and I like originality. My next tattoo is my daughterโs handwriting, on the side of my forearm. She has written โlove Milleโ and it makes my heart sing to know it will permanently be branded on me soon. I love tattooโs I could talk about them all night! I have been thinking of getting the line from the Coldplay song, โmay the light that you left, everglowโ woven with a white butterfly, for my brother. Whenever we have family gatherings, a white butterfly circles us โค๏ธ
I'm reading Kokoro now so this post helped me really sink into my own journey with your words. I got my first tattoo when I was 55 - not a word, but a flower (rue - herb of grace) on the top of my left wrist - always visible to me. It's based on the Anais Nin quote "And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom." My second/third tattoos came a year later - one is a small line of five scattered blocks on my right wrist symbolizing five decades of being "beautifully broken." And the last one is the word "Spaces" on my right ankle, in a beautiful script designed by a friend. It is a reminder to make space and keep space for what is most important to me and not dictated by others. To fill my empty spaces with love and what is most important to me, and not filling the emptiness with alcohol or other numbing things. To fill the spaces with all that needs to be felt. Getting my tattoos at this rich time of life is about breaking the rules that no longer serve me - rules that were never mine to start with. Freedom!
Beautiful post Beth. The symbol tattooed on my body is the yogic symbol for the Anhata Chakra - the heart centre. A reminder to make my home in the heart rather than the head, and a connection to a loss I experienced ๐
Present & Grateful. My husband of 44 years died the day after last Christmas. These two words and practicing them each moment I remember is keeping me going through the grief and sorrow and always back to the love that we shared and that is. I want to tattoo them on my left forearm, always in view, always aware of the possibilities and opportunities to live them..
I would love to have the word โslopoโ tattooed some day. Itโs a word my best friend came up with to describe my general slow pace. Itโs a contraction of the word slow and Po, one of my nicknames ๐ข
No tattoos on me, no words in Sharpie. I have scars of literally picking on myself when I was a kid, and still healing as an adult from childhood abuse. They remind me to "remember me", to not lose sight of the hurting me who is now enveloped by the healing me. We are one, which makes for a thriving "me" and able to embrace this precious moment, the joy of now.
Elpida (Hope - in Greek).
Someday, I hope to find the words to write about my experience with Zen master Eihei Dลgen teachings. He is often beyond my grasp.
Today, I am going to sit here and immerse myself with your dream of him and the golden light. I was undone by its beauty.
If I ever do get a tattoo, it might be of the word : Awake
Beautiful words that resonate deeply with me, having lost my mum only a few years ago, and now living alongside my lovely Mr.M while he walks this path, living with cancer. Indeed, I watch the sun and the moon every single day, and am aware keenly of the passage of time. That we are time. Moments.
Sorry for your loss, Jackie. I lost my mom last December. Itโs a tough reminder that we are here for such a brief time. Sending lots of healing energy to you and Mr. M.
In 2023, when I had to give up my teaching career due to health problems, I used a glittery purple gel pen (a gift from a student) to write the word "fly" in pretty cursive on the back of my left hand, near my thumb. I kept writing it there for weeks, and writing letters to students, until that pen ran out of ink. It's an acronym for self-care and recovery from codependency: "First, Love Yourself." For me, it was also a reminder that the limitations of my physical body and energy do not define my life. I can fly, with my words and paintings, to any time or place I can dream up or remember. My voice can fly in song. My ideas can fly and create ripples of change, if I am vulnerable and brave enough to share them. I'd forgotten about that temporary, shiny tattoo on my hand. Thanks for the reminder. ๐
Two tattoos. One are swallows in flight that form the words Be Brave. On the other shoulder is a peony in memory of my mother whose garden would fill with these beautiful flowers. My next tattoo will be a phoenix at the base of my neck- rising from the ashes.
Such a powerful experience and message about time and presence and life. I read this in the morning sitting in the sunlight in the Algarve of Portugal. I reminisced about how I got here and allowed all the memories, joyful and sorrowful, to penetrate my being. I have your book Kokoro on my nightstand and often spontaneously open to a page to read what needs to find me. Thank you for this moment to land this quiet space today.
"Un peu de love et de tendresse" would be the words I would tattoo on the base of my thumb of my left wrist. As a reminder to always treat me with kindness and tenderness. I can't find words to tell you how much I loved this piece. (essay is that the right word in English?) - thank you soul much for sharing it with us. I now want to go and find Kokoro to read it. (The Kanji of Kokoro would also have been something I could consider - ) Thank you !
Beautiful piece of writing and sharing Beth, thank you.
My word would be 'rest'
To act as both a reminder and as gratitude.
(The word 'breathe' came a close second!) Xxx๐๐๐
What an emotional essay. I definitely felt the stages of this journey, as you described them. Time I find, is such an interesting subject. Iโm just reading A Brief History Of Time as research for my book, but I find some of the concepts hard to grasp! Many of my tattoos are in code, I like having them as my little secret. I have a Chinese symbol for friendship from my best friend, I have my grandparents initials numerically, I have my brothers initial safely tucked behind my ear forever. I have strength in Sanskrit, to remind me of my time in India and I have a feminine version of a tattoo that my brother had on my wrist. I have always wanted โtemet nosceโ somewhere, but it seems very popular and I like originality. My next tattoo is my daughterโs handwriting, on the side of my forearm. She has written โlove Milleโ and it makes my heart sing to know it will permanently be branded on me soon. I love tattooโs I could talk about them all night! I have been thinking of getting the line from the Coldplay song, โmay the light that you left, everglowโ woven with a white butterfly, for my brother. Whenever we have family gatherings, a white butterfly circles us โค๏ธ
Oh Jess, so much beauty and meaning here!
I don't have a tattoo, but I feel as if the golden sphere just got tattooed on my heart. This is beautiful - to read - to experience again and again.
Oh thank you Lynne, what a gorgeous response Xx
I'm reading Kokoro now so this post helped me really sink into my own journey with your words. I got my first tattoo when I was 55 - not a word, but a flower (rue - herb of grace) on the top of my left wrist - always visible to me. It's based on the Anais Nin quote "And the day came when the risk to remain tight in a bud was more painful than the risk it took to blossom." My second/third tattoos came a year later - one is a small line of five scattered blocks on my right wrist symbolizing five decades of being "beautifully broken." And the last one is the word "Spaces" on my right ankle, in a beautiful script designed by a friend. It is a reminder to make space and keep space for what is most important to me and not dictated by others. To fill my empty spaces with love and what is most important to me, and not filling the emptiness with alcohol or other numbing things. To fill the spaces with all that needs to be felt. Getting my tattoos at this rich time of life is about breaking the rules that no longer serve me - rules that were never mine to start with. Freedom!
Wow, so much power in these choices Amy, beautiful! I hope you love Kokoro Xx
Beautiful post Beth. The symbol tattooed on my body is the yogic symbol for the Anhata Chakra - the heart centre. A reminder to make my home in the heart rather than the head, and a connection to a loss I experienced ๐
What a beautiful way to acknowledge and honour it Xx
Beautiful words and imagery. The golden sphere will stay with me for a while, dancing in my mind and nudging my heart.
๐
Present & Grateful. My husband of 44 years died the day after last Christmas. These two words and practicing them each moment I remember is keeping me going through the grief and sorrow and always back to the love that we shared and that is. I want to tattoo them on my left forearm, always in view, always aware of the possibilities and opportunities to live them..
Oh Terry โค๏ธโค๏ธโค๏ธ What a beautiful tribute Xx
Thank you, Beth.
What perfect words. So sorry for your loss.
Thank you, Tina.
I would love to have the word โslopoโ tattooed some day. Itโs a word my best friend came up with to describe my general slow pace. Itโs a contraction of the word slow and Po, one of my nicknames ๐ข
how fun - why not?
So cute and original!
No tattoos on me, no words in Sharpie. I have scars of literally picking on myself when I was a kid, and still healing as an adult from childhood abuse. They remind me to "remember me", to not lose sight of the hurting me who is now enveloped by the healing me. We are one, which makes for a thriving "me" and able to embrace this precious moment, the joy of now.
Thank you, Beth.
A beautiful courageous statement Lorna
This is beautifully put.
Thank you.๐