A Dandy Lion
I have talked about and moaned over getting a tattoo for almost 30 years. Back then it was a way more risky proposition. My dad and my grandfather would not have been happy. (not that I would have had one any place they could see it back then).
I was going to have a magnolia blossom, aw snap, I can’t get a good white ink…Then No thank you.
I was going to do it when I turned 40….
Then 40 turned to 45…
and damn it before I turned 50…but then life got pretty messy and what I would have chosen then would not have been the best choice.
For the last 5 or so years I have been peculating on the idea of some kind of lion. Ya know, the Lion of Judah- Born Free- Not even thinking of Simba. Ya know what else I didn’t even think of…Aslan (but thanks to my friend who asked if it was “obviously” a reference to Narnia- Haha, as if I were THAT deep and retrospective).
Ever since I was a small child-I loved a lion, if not wanting to even be one when I grew up.
Then I saw a wild and holy tattoo and thought OH GIRL! I need that, for sure.
Wild.
and
Holy.
My Lion.
from a childhood book, Lion and Blue.
So, I thought, a lion with his mane as the petals of a yellow dandelion, like the cover of the book, but no mane at all, just petals.
Pinterest search after Pinterest search- and about 50 doodles (which it appears I threw away once I handed the reins to the artist).
I also tossed around doing just dandelions and having the words wild and holy going up the stalk of the weed.
but Lord, y’all, explaining that one….
So, in the waiting and the planning and the evolving, my son got 2 tattoos, my sister, my brother in law and niece all got inked.
What, the What people?!?! Remember WILD, me over here, I am the rebel, the one to do the crazy thing.
Hold on one stinkin’ minute…
(or over a year)
then this summer, my niece came home with a lovely eagle/dove.
she told me I needed to have this woman do my tattoo, she was awesome.
she couldn’t say enough amazing things about Rachel.
so, I sent her an email.
explained my thoughts and she said…
“Oh friend, I don’t think so, are you open to me doing a design?”
YES, yes I am, because I can’t over think this one more minute.
she was booked until mid November when I talked to her, which worked out great because I was going to be in Nashville in MID NOVEMBER for a work gig!
I filled out her online form and waited.
and freaked out
and
waited.
Y’all, Rachel was in ISREAL until 6pm the day before I was to go to her house to get this tattoo.
I didn’t know what exactly I was getting until NOON the day I was getting the tattoo.
and you know what, I might have been a little freaked out by my lack of control of the situation.
But, it was ok.
Friday, November 15th at 3:45pm CST, I was inked.
I am in love and I am already thinking about the next one.
which, I hear is quite common.
Molly J. McMahan 