First I want to say why I�m writing these stories in particular. Since I have 3 tattoos now and I get a lot of �what does that stand for� or �why would you want that�? Well, for most people I think, the tattoos they choose have a special meaning or story behind them. It�s usually not just a whim. These are my answers.

My first memories were from when I was about 3 years old. We lived in Kansas at the time and I�m guessing it was late spring or early summer. I remember being out on the railroad tracks behind my paternal grandparents� house. It was night time and I was chasing down and catching the frogs on the tracks. I�d hold them a bit, fascinated by the little critters, and then let them go. I was careful not to squeeze because I knew it would hurt or possibly kill them. Seems like there were numerous times I caught the frogs. But again I was only 3 so maybe just a few. I remember one particular night when my sister came up to my mom with her bucket of frogs. I noticed all of them were belly up and stiff and I knew she squeezed them too hard. I felt so sad for them.

When I was around 5 we lived in California near my maternal grandparents. There was a shared adoration between me and my grandfather. I spent as much time with him as I could, forever on his lap as he made up silly songs. His nickname for me was toad. I think it was from some long ago actress named Toady or Tody or Todi something or other. But I always thought of it as I was his little frog girl. My favorite colors were shades of green and to this day still are.

Around the age of 9 I was living in Oklahoma. In the spring after heavy rain there was always a huge puddle at least a foot deep in the center, next to the metal balancing beam at the elementary school. Within weeks it was swarming with tadpoles. I would come on a weekend or after school and cup up a few to take home and raise. The first year I wasn�t successful. The second year I got smarter. I had a big metal bowl with dirt and water from the puddle and rocks. Everyday I�d come out and check on the tadpoles and be amazed at how they transformed. First growing back legs, then front as their tails seemed to shrink up and form a butt. One day they crawled out onto the rocks and the next day they were gone. I felt like I did my job.

In high School when I was back in OK again we had a pool. I swam in it all summer. In winter it was drained but not completely. In the spring my friends and I would sit out in the half empty pool to talk. Or my boyfriend and I would sit in there to talk or make out without my parents eyes upon us. I just remember coming out one day to see that the deep end was covered in a large assortment of frogs and toads. There had to be somewhere between 50 and 100 of them in there. I often sat at the edge to watch and listen to them.

Years later back in Cali. when I married G, I wanted to fix up the front bathroom for the kids. I discovered you could decorate bathrooms with frogs. I feel in love and did a frog bathroom complete with frog towels, soap dispenser, shower curtain with frog hooks, frog-shaped bath mat, pictures, mini statuettes etc. I had everything frog you could think of. I think you get where I�m going.

When I decided I wanted another tattoo it had to be a frog. I think for me, frogs represent love, new life, innocence of childhood and possibly some sort of earthy tranquility for me.

This summer I went to get it done. I looked at many cute little frogs but decided on a tree frog clinging to bamboo staring straight forward. It�s in the center lower part of my back and about the size of my palm. In a place often hid where only I and my family see it. Since its very personal that�s ok with me. I didn�t do it as art for everyone else. I did it for me. I love it and the many shades of green it contains.

1 comments so far

Previous - Next