My Three Goddesses

Since I was a child, I’ve been building a mental list of all the things I want to experience. Call it my “Bucket List.” The list includes gems like jumping out of a flying plane and eating frog legs. But getting a tattoo was on top of my list.

Even at 15 I understood the commitment of getting a tattoo. I knew what I liked at 15, I might loathe at 25. I wanted a tattoo that stood for something — a reminder of a pivotal point in my life. I had nothing! I drew blanks. Part of me was scared and the other part didn’t want to live a life of regret with a Tweety bird tattoo on my navel looking up at me saying, “I told you so!” So I waited…

Several months ago I met a genius tattoo artist named Link. We became great friends. My mouth dropped when I saw his folio. I knew immediately he had to tattoo me. I was ready and I chose a Lotus flower. To my surprise he offered to tattoo me for my birthday, and on my birthday — which was a several weeks away. I was ecstatic! Wow, really? A birthday gift from the universe.

As my birthday approached, I started getting cold feet. I couldn’t understand why. I had mixed feelings about how it would change my persona. But mostly I was afraid to lose something else — my essence perhaps! I disliked feeling so indecisive about something I was so certain about. So, I started chanting, meditating and seeking.

One night, before falling asleep, I asked my guiding angel to shed some light on the matter. That night I had a mystical experience:

In my dream, I was right there in my bed, looking up at heaven, shooting the breeze with three beautiful Goddesses. Each Goddess was standing at different levels, and they were cascading down a waterfall. All three were leaning on rocks and the bottom of their gowns blended in with the mist of the water crashing at their feet. It was all very familiar. We chatted like girlfriends who knew each other for years. They all liked the idea of the Lotus Flower, but they, too had mixed feelings.

One Goddess said that I was created in God’s image and didn’t need a tattoo to validate my faith. Another said, I had been blessed with the form of a Goddess and shouldn’t taint my God given beauty. Another said I was made with love and therefore perfect! When I woke up I knew exactly what I needed to do.

The girls and I talked for hours but I remember very few details, including their appearances. What I do remember very clearly — is their energy. I remembered them with my heart, not my brain. And here I sit tattoo-less.