“Freeing yourself was one thing, claiming ownership of that freed self was another.”
― Toni Morrison, Beloved
A year and 1 month after what seemed like a hard time to live, I decided to make permanent a vow I took to myself. My second tattoo, this one is the Hebrew word for ‘I’; the self, pronounced “Anee”.
On a 4 month trip to Israel, I found myself questioning the world around me and the way I functioned in it. Time alone does many a thing to the mind, and experiences – good or bad – tend to leave you questioning your beliefs and capabilities.
Loving yourself is sometimes a stretch, but accepting your shortcomings along with your strengths, is perhaps the least we can do. It may pay to remind yourself once in a while that though we are loved, and are capable of loving in return, the most important person in your life is you.
With a Hebrew name from my parents, my love for the language and now its typography has remained since I was first introduced to it. And so, with eyes closed and best friend’s hand slowly loosing blood circulation, I endured the most fulfilling pain to my right arm. Heh. Photos below.
Tattoo by Arpita Vijaya, a talented and loving soul. She is at the Ink Movement in Koramangala, Bangalore.
Im thankful for all the support I have had from my family and friends. Its only human to loose sight of the good and focus on what is lacking. Thank you Shay Zi for all the hebrew translation you have done for me over the year. You are the best. And Shloka for always being the one making these appointments and (literally) lending me her hand.
❤
Otterikshaw 
