Don't Lose Your Fight, Kid.

I got my second tattoo yesterday. It says "don't lose your fight, kid."

The generation my grandparents are from stems from a whole different set of beliefs than the one that I do. This is reflected in their beliefs and lack of filter in what they say. Of course I love them, but sometimes they don't know what shouldn't come out of their mouths and what should. My grandma has explicitly stated what she thinks about my tattoos. She seems to think I'm tainted and that even though she knows exactly who I am, that I have joined the group of rebellious, low-lifes that they were taught to categorize anyone with tattoos or piercings into. She still loves me and does the grandma thing where she feeds me and all that, but you can tell by her tone of voice when the topic comes up.

Today, I got into the car with her and she asked me if I had gone to get one because my mom had mentioned it to her. Excitedly, I showed her it. She read it very slowly and asked, "what does that mean?" with her specific tone of voice showing she didn't like it.

Although my tattoos may just seem like cliche things that I got just so I could say I have tattoos, they actually mean something to me. For the days I don't feel like getting out of bed and the weight of the world is too heavy, I will remember the time I wanted myself to never lose my fight enough to get it permanently placed on my body. My dad is always one to tell me that there's something special about me and that I have the ability to change the world. He never loses faith in me and constantly tells me to keep pushing forward. Don't lose your fight, kid, is something he'd say to me when I have no motivation left. But he knows what I have in me. He knows the strength and ambition I have. I want to remember on the dark days that no matter how little faith I have in me, he has an infinite amount more. That I have what it takes to get out of bed when I don't feel like it. To take on the day when it feels like to much. When I think I can't.

And to you, who is reading this, I want you to remember you have a lot more in you than you think. Don't lose your fight, kid.