Expecto Patronum

I have seen so many cool tattoos all over the internet and in my art classes. But, although I have designed some of my friend’s tattoos, I cannot see myself getting a tattoo. This is not because it will start to droop and go out of style over the years, or because I have a fear of needles. I will not get a real tattoo because I view my body as a canvas, and why should I limit myself to only utilizing the space once. For me, I will never have a permanent tattoo, but a different one anytime I choose. In the past year, I have had a dragon above my knee, love in Farsi on my index finger, a shark eating minnows on my wrist, and constellation (Cassiopeia) on my ankle. The dragon I drew because I had to dress up as a character in a book for extra credit and forgot, so I drew a dragon and went as the girl with the dragon tattoo. I love learning different languages and I try to learn a new word whenever I can, that day my art teacher gave me a book with Farsi and translations in it, I thought the prettiest on was love. The day I drew the shark and minnows, I was in a bad mood. I drew Cassiopeia because the ancient Greeks believed the vain queen’s beauty to be unrivaled, the moment I drew this I was looking at the constellation on my roof.

 Recently, I saw this picture of a girl with expecto patronum (the Harry Potter spell) tattooed on her arm. Not only does this tattoo signify the intense following the books have developed over the years, but also it teaches a lesson. Expecto patronum actually means “I await for a protector” in Latin, and in the books the spell was used to drive away creatures that bestowed deep sadness in your heart. The tattoo would be a reminder that only you can stand in the way of your own happiness. The spell also cannot be cast unless the person is thinking of a happy thought, the stronger the happy memory is the more defined the patronus becomes. This also reminds us, that to be truly happy we must know and never forget the happiness in our lives already. Also, a patronus takes the shape of your heart’s true desire in the form of an animal. For example, Harry desired a father, so his patronus was a stag just like his father’s patronus. This illustrates that happiness can take shape of something desirable, but it never is the only thing that gives you happiness. Happiness can be found anywhere as long as you are always open to it.

            I am fairly sure this will be my next tattoo. I just do not know when. The great thing about tattoos is you can express yourself to other people. No matter how nerdy, crazy, or impulsive the moment is, there is a tattoo for that. Tattoos do not necessarily have to be permanent or even be seen by other people. The most important part of a tattoo is what it means to you, it is your opinion of something, it is your crazy impulsive moment, and it is your innermost thought reflected outward for the world to see.