TATTOOS: Does your tattoo have to have meaning?

Instagram has brought me a new topic to discuss.
This time it was this graphic. It resonates with me a lot. 

I have some tattoos that mean a lot to me. 

The rose on my foot means the world to me. I had it done in memory of my grandad, on the 10 year anniversary of his death. My mum places three white roses and one red rose where his ashes are scattered.  The three to represent myself and my two sisters  and the red for her, his daughter. So my rose on my foot reminds me of him everyday, and to live life to the fullest as he was taken from us too soon.

For me, the tattoo its self is an experience. One of my tattoos has no real significance in its design, I just loved the design.  But its timing was significant to me. It was after a bad time in my life, and although the design doesn't reflect it, the timing reminds me that it's important to move on.

But I also have tattoos just because I wanted it. My right sleeve has some meaningful elements, such as my bunny represented on my inner forearm, but the rest is just because I liked the design, and style. And I still love it.

I don't think it's important for a tattoo to have a specific meaning. It doesn't have to have a story. Yes, these add to the tattoo, creating more significance. But it's not the be all and the end all.

In the words of Johnny Depp:

And I think that is all a tattoo needs to do - tell your story.