The marks we leave on each other

Today my brother and I got matching tatoos in the center of of backs of celtic shield knots. I'll put up some pictures later.

But, it got me thinking about the marks we leave on each other. These tattoos symbolize a connection between my brother and I which would exist with or without the tattoos. They were more of an affirmation of something true than the creation of something new.

When we touch each others lives, we change each other. We can even give each other hope. Hope that we are not alien to everybody around us. I just wrote about how the ways we love each other can change us for the better, so I won't go too deeply into this. But, I think that it is important to remember that we are not alone or separate from each other, even when the distance between our bodies seems great. Often, our souls still touch, and our relationships leave an imprint which marks us far deeper than skin level.

And so, because my brother and I shared a common childhood and faced common obstacles (and still do) we will always have common cause with each other. And even when we part from each other, we are never abandoned. We both have still existed, and that means I am not a complete stranger in this world.

I feel that way about K. too. I don't really want "matching" tattoos with her, but I saw a few bird tattoos which our artist had done, and it made me want to mark my body with a bluebird whose silent, joyful song would reflect the bluebird which K.'s love has birthed within my heart, whose beautiful melody cheers me even when I'm sad. She said there is no home where I am not, and I know there is no home where she is not. But, she is ever in my heart, and I hope I am always in hers. And there, in that imprint, in that unbreakable but thread-thin connection, I feel like I am more at home wherever I am in this world than I have ever been before I was with her. So, I take comfort in that fact until I can return to my true home, the warm embrace of my love's arms. I take comfort, and I consider marking myself with a little bluebird to keep me company on the long road home.