Sunday thought of the day.

by

My Sunday mornings follow the same routine.

I wake up, grab my coffee, & head to Lance’s neck of the net for his Sunday thought of the day.

Sometimes he brings me to tears.

Frequently he sparks me to smile.

Always he gets me thinking & helps me start my week in a grateful state of mind.

The below is my own personal Lance Sunday thought of the Day.

One which is a response to a question I posed to him after reading one of his tweets about getting his first tattoo.

Of course I needed to know exactly what art he got and why?

please to enjoy his response.

zencircle1

Enlightenment, strength, elegance, the Universe, the void…an expression of the moment…and a symbol of when the mind is free to let the body and spirit create.

I find myself talking a lot about this journey through life.  And I suppose a part of that is how I express who I am.

Right.

So, what is “real”, anyway?  How do I really live the message I talk about?  Is it in being true to myself, or something different?

So, what’s your thought when you hear the word tattoo?  An expression of meaning?  Mid-life crisis?  Young and foolish?  Body art?  Cool?  Disgusting?

My hope is that I am living my life by being true to who I am.

A couple of weeks ago, after much thought, I had my first encounter with a tattoo artist.  Getting my first tattoo.  I have thought about this for a while now, and just didn’t have anything really jump out and speak to me (do tattoo’s speak???).

And then, as I was redesigning my website, inspiration came in a place I least expected it.  In the header we created (special thanks to friend/triathlete/graphic designer Lori, from Jane Be Nimble).

The zen circle.

Enlightenment, strength, elegance, the Universe, the void…an expression of the moment…and a symbol of when the mind is free to let the body and spirit create.

In a moment of real clarity, I knew.

I knew this was what I wanted.  And so, it was all set in motion.

I wasn’t sure exactly what to expect.  What I found (through a friend), was a tattoo artist who took his profession and his work very seriously, and created an experience that was comfortable and fun (really – it WAS fun!!).

Was there some pain?  Sure, a little.  Just that, though…a little.  I’ve felt worse pain after riding my bike the first time after a long winter!

And then – there are the questions.  Why?  What’s the purpose?  Will there be more?  Or – in the case of my kids – “Dad, it’s just a circle.  Why didn’t you get something cool?”

My response to the kiddos “My next tattoo will be a rhombus.”  (I get puzzled looks from that).

So, I’ll answer that million dollar “why” question right here.

I have this tattoo because of what it personally means to me.  It matters not that others may not agree with it.  It matters that the symbol, the zen circle, touches upon how I hope I can live my life.

And I suppose, for many people out there who have been through this – a tattoo has some special meaning to them, too.  Right, Miz?

The tattoo doesn’t change at all who I am.  It has become an expression of me, and what I believe.  And I shall wear it proudly…

POSTS BY EMAIL

Never miss a post. Enter your email to get my latest posts delivered to your inbox.

Comments

  1. Miz,
    Thanks for sharing this space of yours today!

    My wife has suggested we could take a magic marker and turn it into all sorts of different temporary tattoos around the “real” one. Like a smiley face, or a bullseye (what is that saying, anyway?!?!?), or basketball. Hmmm….I think the whole thing might have a different meaning then….

    Anyway, I love what the zen circle means, and I wear it proudly.

  2. Morning Mizfit…

    tattoos to me are awesome. I am unable to get them (my flying profession frowns on guys who have tattoo sleeves, can’t imagine why) but I think most tattoos are really cool. Aside from the girls who get the butterfly on the back of their neck or lower back or wrist, most people get them for reasons of their own, and I’m ok with that.

    When I complete Ironman, I’m getting a tattoo on my calf though, dammit!

  3. I so look forward to Lance’s Sunday Thoughts, too. Something always touches me and sets me up for a week of gratitude and joy!

    Love the tattoo, Lance and all that it represents 🙂

  5. Tattoos can be wonderful self expressions. They are almost always fascinating.

    The reason I don’t have any is twofold — I’m not sure what they will look like in 40 years, and I don’t want to have to try to explain them to my grandkids someday.

  6. I know it isn’t “fitness” but I’ve always wondered if there is meaning behind your tattoo, MizFit.

    I can’t tell what it is.

  8. I’ve been thinking about getting a tattoo. As trite as it is, I want a butterfly but not one with its wings fully open because I feel like that’s where I’m at right now.

    I also want some type of flower which would go along nicely with the butterfly.

    Now, I just need to figure out where I want it…

  9. I love my ink. I think tattoos are a form of expression that is unique and personal. People who grab stuff from a wall as a collection of postage stamps on their body I don’t really understand. My first is a celtic design with the triple moons for the goddess in the center I designed it myself and it is probably still my favourite and the only one I see all the time, It is the elements of water, earth and air with all the fire being on my back in the form of a sun with a spiraled center and a pheonix. Tattoos are addicting, I was getting pierced and tattooed regularly in grad school, until they said I had too much healing and needed to stop for a while 😛
    My mother has a special hatred for each of my tattoos…

  11. I got a tattoo many moons ago. The tattoo artist was so unimpressed by its size that after he finished it, he smacked it and proclaimed, “there’s your zit.” So much for welcoming me into his tribe of inked ones. Oh well. I’ve lost and gained so much weight since that time that it pretty much just resembles a smudge.

    I love the symbolism behind Lance’s tattoo. I have to admit though, when I first saw it, all I could think about was my coffee table that maybe someone forgot to use a coaster. Eek.

    Anywho, have a great week! I’m off to experience Lance’s blog first hand. Thanks! Hugs, Kirsten

  12. Hey Lance (and, nice to meet you MizFit!),

    Of course I’m partial, but I really love your tat, Lance. 😉

    When I was helping you design your new header, and you came up with the idea of a Zen Circle — I knew you had something there. It just really fit *you*. (I really loved the process of creating the design for you, Lance. ‘Twas one of my favorite projects.)

    More importantly, I found it really special to read your thoughts here about what into your process regarding getting inked. I have a tattoo, too, which I acquired my first year in the Army. I’ve never regretted it and still quite like my tat, too. (ha — that was almost a pun!). LOL

    Great to see you here, and I agree. Lora is awesome to think about putting faces on the circle. That cracked me up. Tell her hello for me!

    ~xo!
    Lori

  14. Awesome choice. I love that circle! I got a tattoo on my lower back in my twenties, and I frequently forget about it, until my kids remind me it’s there. But it still means a lot to me – it’s the Egyptian wings of Ra, which are also a symbol of enlightenment, strength and protection for light.

    However, for any middle-aged moms out there with lower back tattoos from their twenties like me, I feel I must share this old SNL bit that my sister-in-law sent to me when it first aired (can’t do a YouTube link since it’s from TV):
    http://www.tattoospot.com/r-tattoo-videos-30-saturday-night-live-250.htm

  15. I designed my own, and it took me almost a year of waiting to do it (I wanted to make sure I wasn’t being impulsive. I figured if I wanted it as much in a year as I did at that moment, then I’d go for it).

    It took 4 hours total (the painful part was the wet paper towel that wiped up the ink and blood). And.I.Love.It. It’s a reminder of a time in my life where I had to make tough decisions, some I regret, some I know had to be done. It’s a symbol of life and the frailty of it. It’s on my back and no one but my family sees it (unless I go swimming …and…yeah, right…like THAT’S gonna happen any time soon).

    One day my kids will be an age where they’ll ask more about the picture on Mommy’s back. It’s one of the reasons I have it, so they know of the importance of it, learn from me, and never forget.

    Thanks for sharing your personal story about your Zen tattoo. I like hearing people’s tat stories.

  17. All,
    Love reading all the comments! Having gotten a tattoo, I have a new appreciation for both the process and the meaning of it all. (and perhaps – that something which can’t fully be explained in it all too – yet makes it meaningful too…)

    Lisa, the video was hilarious!!

    Lori, as you know that I’ve told you – I love how the design of the zen circle came out, and that wouldn’t have happened without your amazing skills. Thank YOU!!!

  19. That is perfect! A tattoo is supposed to be an expression of something that is personal to the wearer…it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks!
    I have eleven tattoos…each one a celebration of a specific time in my life…MY LIFE! No one elses…

  21. Hi Lance,
    I think it looks better than I imagined! Life is an adventure and the great thing is we all get to explore and experience in our own way. That’s what makes it so great. Thanks for sharing your tattoo. To everyone who is afraid to take a leap and do something outrageous I say, “Don’t Fight The Feeling!”

  23. I just found your blog and absolutely looove it! I really like your tutorial/videos now I can see what the right way to do a certain move. Keep up the great work girl. Your body really shows how passionate you are about fitness! Can’t wait to keep reading!!
    -Hailey-

  24. Thank you for posting this. I have wanted a tattoo for a while, and I love the thoughtfulness that went in to this decision. It makes me want one even more, but also makes me want to think about it for a lot longer.

  25. I’ve obviously been away for a while. Lance you got a tattoo? That’s awesome!!! 🙂 Thanks for sharing about here and thanks Miz for allowing him to.

    I like the idea of turning it into a bulls eye. or the ying and yang symbol, ooh I know a pie chart!

    The way that you write about getting the tattoo, and why, touching!

Trackbacks

Pin It on Pinterest

Share This