I have always been fascinated by the symbolism behind tattoos, even if the symbol is a number. A tattoo usually represents something important to its owner, but often there is a story behind the “picture”.
In this article we are going to look at some of the reasons people get tattoos specifically of dates. Before doing research, I wondered if the dates tattoos signified a good or bad date (spoiler alert: answer is both).
So, let us jump straight in:
Reasons people tattoo dates on them:
• The date they were born (Machine Gun Kelly apparently have a tattoo of his birthday)
• The date an important person in your live was born (Kanye West has dates of his son and mothers’ birth dates)
• The date someone important in your live passed away. It says “I will never forget you”
• Anniversary dates e.g., date the couple met, got engaged or married, symbolic of your commitment to one other
• Tragic events e.g., September 11
• This one is not a specific date, but a tattoo of a time-keeping device e.g., a clock resembles the idea that time is precious, and that each moment counts e.g. melting clock Salvador Dali
• Sobriety tattoo e.g., people often celebrate when they kick an addiction
• Other major milestone in life e.g., public performance
• Memorialize parents as symbol for unconditional love
• From a design point of view, Roman numeral tattoos look good small or big
Although there seem to be many reasons people get tattoos of specific dates, it seems to boil down to that is a special day that means something in your life. And it is for everyone to see, outward expressing love and loss.
In some of the articles I have read that they warn a date tattoo could be a disadvantage if it was done as emotional decision. It might forever be a reminder of a painful time.
So- if you are unsure, maybe wait until you have grieved before getting the tattoo. Think of other ideas to memorialize someone e.g., write a poem, name a trophy, or commission a piece of art.
For those who go forth without any fear, I have read about something called cremation memorial tattoos. The tattoo artist mixes in small amount of loved one’s ashes with the ink.
Whilst I was writing this article, I was wondering about significance of our birthdates. I also wondered about the eternal cycle of life and death. Then I read the following quotes from the book Autobiography of a Yogi (Paramahansa Yogananda), which I found quite comforting:
“A child is born on that day and at that hour when the celestial rays are in mathematical harmony with his individual karma. His horoscope is a challenging portrait, revealing his unalterable past and its probable future results.
Man is a soul and has a body. The soul is ever free; it is deathless because it is birthless. It cannot be regimented by the stars.” (Chapter 16, Outwitting the Stars)
In ordinary language I would interpret it that there is most probably a good reason why we are born on earth from a specific date, and why we also die on a specific date. However, we are still in charge of our destiny. Time is infinite- everything is everywhere, all the time- but for a certain time our soul lives in a temporary body on earth. And we can do with this temporary body whatever we like- including getting tattoos.
In conclusion, a date tattoo says: I will never forget.
What do you think of date tattoos? Do you have one, if so, what does it mean? Let us know.