My Tattoo

I'm 24 years old and I finally got my first tattoo! I knew I'd wanted one for a long time; I also knew my first tattoo would be influenced by Harry Potter.

Go ahead, you may think it's silly, but Harry Potter has been more than just a series of books to me. I will be forever grateful to JK Rowling for writing the books that carried me through my childhood and adolescence.

Harry Potter gave me my love for reading, something crucial to being a teacher. I used to dread reading anything unless it was a Nickelodeon Magazine, until my mom bought me that first Potter book. Since then, I've loved to read in my spare time which is something I'm proud of in this day and age of video games and electronics.

It's been even more than that, though. Adolescence is a crazy, confusing, scary, and sometimes terrible time in a person's life, especially for a person who doesn't have any older siblings to confide in. I can remember no matter what was going on, I could pick up one of the books and escape. I learned lessons from so many of the characters' experiences, examples, and choices that I'd like to share with you.

James Potter: Mistakes from your past do not define who you are.
Lily Potter: There is good in everyone, no matter how dark someone may seem.
Rubeus Hagrid: Love all creatures of the earth (Ron and I are still working on appreciating spiders...we're trying, Hagrid!)
Molly Weasley: You don't have to be a child's biological mother to give them the motherly love they need.
Dobby: Be loyal.
Ginny Weasley: The best things in life are worth waiting for.
Fred and George Weasley: There is always a reason to smile.
Sirius Black: It's okay, and sometimes even wonderful, to be different from your family.
Voldemort: Through his mistakes, I've seen that there is no life without love.
Severus Snape: Heroes don't always look like Superman.
Albus Dumbledore: "It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities." 
Neville Longbottom: Stand up for what you believe in, even if it means standing up to your friends.
Luna Lovegood: She is my favorite character. Embrace yourself and all of your quirks. Never change for anyone.
Hermione Granger: Treat everyone with kindness, compassion, and respect.
Ron Weasley: No matter what, your true friends will always be there for you.
Harry Potter: More often than not, doing what is right is not what is easy.

 These characters have made me who I am today.

 Now to explain the chess pieces. I didn't want a tattoo that everyone else has...we all know the ones I'm talking about. I don't mean to be offensive because I love them all! However, like Luna, I take pride in my differences so I wanted an original idea. I began to think of how I could represent the Golden Trio when I remembered the chapter "Through the Trapdoor" in The Sorcerer's Stone.

 There you have it. Harry the Bishop, Ron the knight, and Hermione the castle.

 If you took the time to read this, I deeply appreciate it, and I'm happy to have shared this with you.

xoChristie