Do you have any tattoos? If not, if you were going to get inked, what would you get?
Yes, I do have a tattoo… It’s of the number sixteen in roman numerals — xvi — and it’s on my right shoulder.
I love the number sixteen… well, it’s more like it defines a part of me. My life started at 3:16 AM September 16, 1976. My first name and last name together had sixteen letters. I have used sixteen as my number for anything sports / competition related for as long as I can remember. My wife and I started seeing each other on June 16, 1996, were engaged June 16, 2000, and married June 16, 2001. We both liked our last names enough to want to keep them but both wanted to have the same name as our children, so we decided it should be hyphenated… Our last name now has sixteen letters in it.
The tattoo itself was a gift from my closest friends for my 22nd birthday. We all went out for dinner and they handed me a card with enough money for the tattoo… to the penny :O)
My tattoo is as much a part of me as the number sixteen is. My life began with the number sixteen, has been guided and crafted by the number sixteen, and I’m sure it will somehow all end with the number sixteen. And I’m good with that.
Beyond the significance of the number, my tattoo will forever be a reminder of close friends, and how important they are to me.
—
steelie
