A friend of mine recently commented on my tattoos. His remarks were positive; he thinks they look cool, which I appreciate. When he mentioned it, he also shared that he and his wife don’t know many people with tattoos. It got me thinking about why I have gotten so many tattoos, with plans to get more. By the way, if you live in Delaware or near Delaware and are looking for a tattoo artist or shop, please check out Malarkey Tattoos in Bear, Delaware. Each artist in this shop is extremely talented. My last three tattoos were done by tattoo artist Rem, and he will be my go-to artist for as long as he is employed in the area.
So, this is what I shared with my friend about why tattoos are so important to me.
Tattoos and trauma
For me, tattoos are a way of embracing pain, but on my own terms. It’s not the pain of harm or betrayal. It’s the sting of transformation, of marking my skin with something meaningful, beautiful and deliberate. I’m not being hurt by someone else; I’m participating in something that I control. That choice alone feels healing.
The art itself matters just as much. Tattoos transform what might otherwise be invisible…grief, survival, growth…into something visible and affirming. Instead of carrying only scars that remind me of what was done to me, I wear symbols of what I’ve chosen to become, or things that make me happy. Every piece is a part of my story told in ink, etched not in shame or silence, but in beauty and defiance. My first tattoo at Malarkey was the words “Just Breathe.” Those two words ground me every time I look at them. They are on my left wrist and cover scarring from a time when I was not mentally well.
As someone living with CPTSD, this kind of agency and ritual feels like a quiet reclamation each time. It reminds me that while the past might still live in my nervous system, it does not own my skin. I do.
Malarkey Tattoo
Each time I have been at Malarkey, a name I love by the way, I have been greeted kindly and treated with respect, even as I know I’m rambling on and giggling nervously. Rem, especially, is such a breath of fresh air. He is so talented and always willing to work on the designs I have in mind. He shows me multiple sizes for each tattoo and ensures I am happy with the look and placement before he gets started. While he is doing the art, he and I chat the entire time, and seriously, the experience could not be better. I love hearing about his fiancée and their lives.
Another artist there who I have had the pleasure of talking with is tattoo artist Ava. We’ve chatted about paranormal investigations and she, too, made me feel like I belong. Ava’s tattoo work is also extremely well done. So, definitely check her out!
Also, I appreciate that the entire shop is spectacularly clean! So, whenever anyone talks about my tattoos or their desire to get one, I will 100% recommend Malarkey Tattoos. They are amazing!
