The Story Behind The Tat

Any good tattoo should have a good story to go with it, so here is mine.

Many of you know my youngest daughter had a disease called Cystic Fibrosis.  Anyone familiar with disease knows that it also referred to as "65 Roses" and often represented that way.  I've always wanted a tattoo for my daughter and searched through 100's looking for the perfect tat the would incorporate the number 65 and roses, but never could find one that I was in love with.  
When she passed away on Valentines Day this year, I thought I would finally get that tattoo for her, and had figured I would get one on my side that was a White Dandelion with the puffs flying in the wind mixed with Purple ribbons and the words Breathe Easy, but time and money and wanting to lose some weight first, interfered with getting it done.  

After Karlie passed, the hospice nurse, had cleaned her up, braided her hair, put her in a pretty sundress and said if I wanted to go in and see her one last time I could.  For the past 2 months, that image has been stuck in my head replaying nonstop.  The only thing I see is her laying on that bed, with her braided hair and all I can think about is Sunflowers.  This vision has been stuck with me 24/7 and I just couldn't shake it.  Finally, one night I broke down and cried all night.  The next day at work, I was talking with one of my managers and she asked me what was wrong.  I told her that I could think about was Kar and Sunflowers, so she looked up the symbolic meaning of Sunflowers.  

The sunflower moves itself in the most direct position in front of the sun so it can get the maximum sun rays. This is symbolic of spiritual faith, and worship because we follow our belief system as the sunflower moves to face the life-giving rays of the sun.

The sunflower is a symbol of God's love. The sunflower as a symbol can also represent the unwavering faith that guides the soul to the highest spiritual attunement.

She also asked me if I was Indian.  I am not but Kar has Indian in her from her father.  

In Native American symbolism, the sunflower is used in late summer festivals as a symbol of bounty, harvest and provision. It is a symbol of the sun, and thus likened to the life-giving force of the Great Spirit. 

Maybe Karlie didn't want me to remember her being sick with Cystic Fibrosis and dying, but to remember all the joy she brought into peoples lives, and the faith that I will see her again in a perfect body.  To remember that God loved her and to stay strong in my faith.  I also have the words Just Breathe instead of the normal Breathe Easy, that we say when a Cystic passes.  It reminds me to keep going, keep breathing, and keep living.

Since I got this tattoo, the vision of her laying there no longer haunts my mind.  I feel peace and happiness.  So goes the story of my new ink.