The Story Beneath the Ink

With gratitude to Emma from Spicy Ink for helping bring this

meaningful reminder to life.

Sometimes the smallest symbols hold the most meaning.

This is the story beneath my ink.

I never thought I’d be the kind of person to get a tattoo. But sometimes, life leads us to want something we can see, something that honours what matters most in our hearts.

My new tattoo is small, but its meaning is anything but.

I’ve always thought the lotus was beautiful, but now it means even more to me. A lotus grows up through mud and darkness before reaching the light. It reminds me to stay resilient during hard times and that growth is possible, even in tough places.

That feels true to life.

We don’t always get to choose the conditions we grow in. Sometimes life doesn’t give us easy paths or soft landings. We might have to rise through grief, uncertainty, illness, change, or loss. Still, growth can happen.

The infinity symbol stands for love that never ends. For me, it’s about everyone I love who is no longer here, and the belief that love goes on, even when we can’t see it. It means life is stronger than death, love is stronger than loss, and there’s always a connection between the past, the present, and what remains in my heart.

It also reminds me of the green in my metastatic breast cancer ribbon. It signifies green is life. It is renewal. It is spring after winter. It is life over death and hope over despair.

The pink centre honours breast cancer and the journey that has shaped so much of my life. It is a small detail, but an important one. It holds the reality of diagnosis, treatment, courage, community, and the many women and families touched by this disease.

And then there’s the word Rise.

RISE is the title of my memoir, but now it means more than just a word on a book cover. It’s a reminder, a promise, and a gentle push forward.

It reminds me of my own strength to get back up, especially on days when staying down feels easier.

Living with uncertainty has shown me that rising isn’t always about moving forward with confidence. Sometimes it just means getting up, taking a breath, choosing hope, and trusting that life still has something beautiful to give.

This tattoo isn’t about being fearless. It’s about remembering.

Remembering love.

Remembering resilience.

Remembering life.

Remembering hope.

Remembering that even in hard times, I can still grow.

And I can still rise.