guest post: noble soul {a tattoo story}

written by: dylan mullen

a few minutes after

almost three years ago, i came up with an idea for a tattoo.  i was in Rome, sitting in my school’s library, & it just came into my mind.  

noble soul

my mom (& her family’s) last name is Noble & it is incredibly fitting.  they are good people. kind, selfless, funny, unpretentious, creative, imperfect, trustworthy, good people.  they are noble & completely exemplify the name they bear.

5 quick minutes and it was done!

i was holding my breath the entire time

if you know me well, you know what role my mom plays in my life.  she is my saving grace; my hero. the person i turn to first when i need help or comfort; the person i turn to for fashion advice, cooking recipes & inspiring quotes.  but more than that, i’ve learned through her example how to be a good person in this world.  she does everything for others & expects little in return; she is a quiet soul that communicates most through her daily actions for other people.  she is the bravest, most beautiful person i know & above all else & like her family, she is noble.  my mom goes by her middle name, patricia, & when i looked up the meaning of her name recently, i was stunned- it means noble. i just couldn’t believe how perfect (& freaky) that was.

simply, i strive to be a noble person.  i want to be like my mom & our Noble family: loving, honest, trustworthy, & true.

i might be a Mullen, but my soul is Noble.

sooo happy with it

so this is for them.  to my Noble fam- you are the best. i love you so much & consider it a privilege to be a part of this family.  there is nothing else i would rather have permanently inked to my body than our family’s name.

***

to be completely transparent, although i did this for them, i think my parents & grandparents (maybe even Liv) wish i hadn’t.  they knew i wanted to get a tattoo, but i think they would have preferred me not to, & are a little surprised i actually went through with it after talking about it for three years.  i rarely rebel or do something out of line- i guess that’s the “goodie-two-shoes in me”- which to be honest, i’m not all that ashamed of.  but in the last few years, something has stirred in me to be more adventurous & brave.  i don’t want to be afraid to do something unexpected in this one life we’re given.

in almost every aspect of my life, i care A LOT about what people think of me.  i never want to hurt anyone’s feelings & i would never want someone to think less of me for a decision i made.  it’s something i struggle with & need to get better at, as i can’t always strive to make everyone happy- especially when it comes to my own happiness.  99% of the time if my parents or siblings ask me not to do something or think i’m about to make the wrong choice, i listen to them.  this was one of the first permanent choices i made that pretty much goes against what they think.  it’s an uncomfortable feeling which makes me sad, but in the end, this is a tribute to them.  i love my tattoo & i have no regrets, & i think they like it too, but are still coming around to the idea.  i believe tattoos are a very personal choice since it’s your (personal) body, & i think they can be really beautiful if you do them right.    

taken by my mom while she exclaimed, "wow! i actually really, really love it." makes me so happy.

so for those of you that want a tattoo: think about it & take your time!  it’s so much classier (& cool) to have it mean something significant. i weighed the pros & cons for three years before doing this - but stick to your own timeline, not mine.  find a clean, respected parlor & check it out first.  i went to a custom shop called Eight of Swords in Williamsburg (Brooklyn) & i LOVED them.  they made me feel comfortable & put me at ease which was super important to me since this was my first time.  on top of that, they were incredibly talented & were able to trace my exact handwriting on my body. so neat!  i also suggest bringing one or two people to keep you calm.  i brought my step-sister & good friend shanon to give advice on size, placement, and moral support. thanks girls!

oh & one more thing…

it didn’t hurt.

-dylan