It all started out innocent and then……I got a Tattoo!!!
I was driving with Tommy a week ago to support him as he got a tattoo. On the way there he said, “Hey you’re going to get one to aren’t you.” I said, “Hell no I hate tattoos and I never want to get one (infamous last words). So we get there and we’re in line to make an appointment for Tommy. I start looking at the tattoos all over the walls and I see this cross tat and I’m thinking to myself, “that would be cool to have a cross tat with AGAPE through it. I’m thinking about it and after a few minutes I have it in my mind that I want a tattoo. By this time Tommy comes back over and is like, “hey I made an appointment for you and me later today (he must have read my mind). But the problem was I had to work. So we made an appointment for Friday. All week I was looking at crosses on the internet even had my boys draw a few crosses everyone was into me getting a tattoo, including me. Friday comes and I’m nervous not because I don’t want a tat but because everyone told me it was going to hurt. I get to the tattoo place early because I’m nervous. I’m sitting and sitting about an hour and half later the guy (matt) was like, “Ready darling?” Ohh shit ohhh shit here it comes…Matt says I’m just going to start with this one line at the bottom. And….nothing it didn’t hurt. I remember saying, “Is that it…let me go to sleep.” So I sit in the chair with my head in my hand. Now I’m not saying it was the most pleasant experience but it didn’t hurt like what I was told. The only time it really hurt was on the spin and the pain only last about ten seconds and then it’s over. I would get another one in a heart beat. I love my tat and yes in 50 years from now I’ll still love it. It represents to me as a symbol of love.
Agapē is one of several Greek words translated into English as love. The word has been used in different ways by a variety of contemporary and ancient sources, including Biblical authors. Many have thought that this word represents divine, unconditional, self-sacrificing, active, volitional, and thoughtful love. Greek philosophers at the time of Plato and other ancient authors have used forms of the word to denote love of a spouse or family, or affection for a particular activity, in contrast to philia—an affection that could denote either brotherhood or generally non-sexual affection, and eros, an affection of a sexual nature. The term ‘agape’ is rarely used in ancient manuscripts, but was used by the early Christians to refer to the self-sacrificing love of God for humanity, which they were committed to reciprocating and practicing towards God and among one another (also see kenosis).
So yes I have a tattoo of a cross with AGAPE through the bottom. The tattoo is between my shoulder blades. If I wear a t-shirt you can’t see it.
