In many cultures, like that of Māori and Japanese people, tattoos are not just artistic charms, but they also hide profound meaning and denote belonging to a particular social group. In Western culture, tattooing is often just done on a whim, but for some people, they represent special moments that are not only carried in their hearts, but also carved forever in their skin.
Hoping to be able to inspire you, we at Bright Side have chosen some of the most beautiful stories behind tattoos.
1. A day to remember forever
2. The tribute from a son to a mother who passed away too soon
3. Despite everything, this young man has not lost his sense of humor.
4. “Got our late Loki’s nose. Gone, but never forgotten, little guy.”
5.
My mom wrote me a note the day I moved out / the same day she passed, (also with her real last heartbeat). She lost mobility in her hands from her previous cardiac arrest so some people may see the words as messy but it’s beyond perfect in my eyes. I love you so much momma❤️ pic.twitter.com/8ZKBkeVrlH
6. “Portrait of my soulmate”
7. This tattoo is a tribute to a murdered friend. The note was written to her years ago by her friend and is now engraved on her skin forever.
8. “My first tattoo is an homage to the neighborhood I spent so much of my childhood in.”
9. This father has a tattoo on his chest of soundwaves from his son’s laugh who died of an illness the year before.
10. This tattoo was created by his grandmother. It shows his home position on the surface of the Earth along with longitude and latitude lines.
11. “This piece is very near and dear to my heart! They replicated our sweetheart doggie Skunky’s paw.”
12. A tribute to his dead father with a note he wrote in his second grade yearbook
13. A tattoo to remember his brother who was killed. His ashes have been placed in a bio-urn and will become a beautiful tree, now engraved on his sister’s back.
14. “I got this tattoo on my last day in Maui to commemorate this very special and also difficult time in my life. The tattoo is written in Sanskrit and literally translates to, “Strength comes from an indomitable will.”
15. “Moved from Sydney to Ireland when I was 10. I’m 20 now and here’s my first tattoo.”
16. “My wife and I got tattoos of a diagram depicting the position of the planets as they were the exact time we were married.”
17. “Dad passed away this weekend so I got his atom in memory of him. ”
18. “My parents’ wedding photo”
19. This man travels the world and colors in every country he visits.
Do you also have a tattoo that tells a story? Which of these did you like the most? Let us know what you think in the comments!
Preview photo credit hollton / reddit