This is my tattoo. Yeah, it’s currently my only one; yes I will be eventually getting more; no I don’t know what they’ll be; it will be either on my opposite fore arm or continuing around this original one.
With that out of the way, I’d like to take a minute to talk about this tattoo because it does a really good job of summing up me, and the core of my personality.
Have you ever read the book or watched the movie, ‘Divergent’?
If not, that’s alright, let me give you just a bit of context:
Society is split into five factions depending on each person’s personality aptitude. The five core principles for these factions being: Intelligence, Selflessness, Joy, Honesty, and Bravery. The faction based on bravery is known as Dauntless, and they serve the greater community by making up the police and the military; basically just being the overall protectors.
When I was first introduced to this world of Divergent, and I read and watched the Dauntless in action, I was hooked. As I watched, I identified with, and related with their lifestyle, and their mission.
Small tangent about me: I spent ten years in martial arts, have training in rock climbing, and parkour, and for years of my life I had my life planned out to become part of the police force, with the goal of joining a SWAT team.
Back to it: Identifying with the Dauntless faction so much, I wanted to incorporate it into my faith. After some thought, some prayer, and some counsel from close friends, I created the concept for my tattoo.
The flame within the ring is the symbol for Dauntless faction, and I took that on as a symbol to say that I want to ‘live dauntlessly in my faith’. With all the bravery and the commitment that it means to be Dauntless, that’s how I want to live my life and walk in my faith.
Now on it’s own, that’s only a simple book reference. So as a “seal” I added the ‘116’ and the ‘413’ above and bellow the ring. These numbers represent Bible verses that speak to me, and that I strive to hold strongly to.
-Romans 1:16 “For I am unashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.”
-Philippians 4:13 “I can do all this through Him who gives me strength.”
These three pieces: Dauntless, 116, and 413, together help to ground me in my faith and constantly remind me of the life I want to live, and the example I want to show.
[Left/Cover: Photo Credit: Taylor Niemeyer, Iris Photography LLC]
