Krystal Shares a Tattoo That Speaks of Life and Death

I met Krystal at the end of June while passing by Fashion Institute of Technology in Manhattan. I spotted a tattoo on her upper left arm and had to stop and ask about it:

Krystal credited this work to a friend of hers that tattoos freelance under the moniker Shane White Trash.

The design on top with the bird, the rose, and the girl crying blood, is based on Shane's artwork, which she really liked. Krystal added the quote, because she felt it went with the design. It reads:

life asked death,

"WHY DO PEOPLE LOVE ME,

BUT HATE YOU?"

death responded,

"BECAUSE YOU ARE A

BEAUTIFUL LIE

AND I AM A

PAINFUL TRUTH".

Krystal found the quote online, and it appears to be unattributed, one of those sayings with an unknown origin that resonates so profoundly with people.

Thanks to Krystal for sharing this, one of her eleven tattoos, with us here on Tattoosday!

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Memorial Day Post: Brandon's Leg Says It All

I met Brandon briefly while passing through Penn Station one day back in March.

I was drawn to the script on his leg and it seemed to be appropriate for this Memorial Day weekend:

The tattoo reads "I'd rather die on my feet / Than live life on my knees."

This holiday weekend is all about honoring those men and women in our armed services that have made the ultimate sacrifice as defenders of our freedom and way of life.

Not many people know that the quote originates from Emiliano Zapata, who fought to overthrow the dictatorship during the Mexican Revolution in the early part of the twentieth century. Its meaning can be interpreted with many nuances, but I understand it to mean that it is better to die fighting for freedom than to live in servitude to others.

I didn't speak to Brandon for very long - it was a passing encounter, but I appreciate his service and sacrifice, and I encourage everyone to take a moment and reflect on the true meaning of this holiday, if you haven't already.

I'd also encourage people to check out this post from my friend Tracy, whose tattoo honors one of our fallen soldiers.

Thanks to Brandon and all of our armed forces for their service to our country.

This entry is ©2012 Tattoosday.

If you are reading this on another website other than Tattoosday, without attribution, please note that it has been copied without the author's permission and is in violation of copyright laws. Please feel free to visit http://tattoosday.blogspot.com and read our original content. Please let me know if you saw this elsewhere so I contact the webmaster of the offending site and advise them of this violation in their Terms of Use Agreement.