On My Skin

I finally got my fifth tattoo today. I've been waiting... and waiting some more. Why? Because I hadn't finished a hundred miler. And when I did finish BR100 my life began to fall apart. Maybe you remember this post when I wrote about the compass rose necklace I bought myself when I first started running. I told myself I would mark it on my skin permanently when I ran my first one hundred. Little did I know how long that journey would be!

Today I walked into my favorite tattoo place on a whim thinking I would get it drawn up and make an appointment. The guy asked, "Want to do it now?" I began to hesitate and then thought to myself, "What's the point in waiting for anything? Just do it!" So I said yes and we began the process of laying it out and inscribing it on my body forever.

And here is what I walked out with an hour later:

 

It's a representation and a celebration all in one. It represents the path I've travelled and the path I'm on as my life changes direction again. It celebrates the end of my journey to travel 100 miles on foot. It represents my moral compass and my desire to stay my course when it seems the entire world is against me. It will hopefully be a good luck charm for finding my path out on the trails when running and racing.

Life is never what we expect but so long as we raise our sails and chart a course we can follow the stars to where we are meant to be. The journey begins today...