by Gloria Faye Brown Bates/aka Granny Gee/@GeeGranny on Twitter
Photo is of my Tommy Dragonfly Tattoo created by Jason Wilkins, tattoo artist ... in memory of my son, Tommy.
Yesterday ... Jason Wilkins at Distink'd Tattoos finished putting the colors in my Tommy tattoo.
I wanted to share it with the world ... I am so happy with it. I don't think it could be anymore perfect than what you see in the photos I took of it.
This dragonfly is in memory of my son, Tommy Mitchell Sidden. He died May 29, 2010 on a Saturday evening ... he made it time to do what he wanted to do for the first time ... play with his three year old son on the beach.
Tommy and his family arrived at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina that fateful evening ... everyone stayed up in the hotel to put things up ... Tommy and Taban slipped away to play on the sand.
Not long after they ran, laughing, getting their feet wet as the waves washed ashore ... Tommy collapsed on the sand. He made it ... just in time to play with his little son for the first time ... the last time.
Tommy had 3 heart blockages unknown to anyone. No one one knew he was sick. That was the evening my whole world ended when the phone rang ...
A stranger spoke ... as I looked on the Caller ID, smiling. I became confused ... I asked the man, 'why do you have my son's cellphone?'
The stranger said, "Ma'am, I have a man collapsed here on the sand ... he isn't breathing." I was 200 miles away ... I was the first person to know ... my son was dead.
That was the evening my smile slipped into darkness ... with me behind it. It was the end of my world for three years ... then, little by little ... I began trying to get out of the darkness that protected me.
I began grieving all over again ... because I began facing it head-on. This was the worse time in my entire life. No matter how bad it hurt ... I made myself cope with it ... until today ... everything is alright.
I've learned in this life that no matter how bad ... somehow, everything can be alright ... again. As a grieving mother ... no one can ever know the Hell one person can live in ... all inside of them.
Yes, today ... everything is alright. I made myself grieve in a positive way so, that I wouldn't grow old in a bitter, harsh way. I kept myself from letting anger grow in me because my son was dead ... I'm alright.
Writing my grief ... saved my life ... I never could talk in depth with any one person about my pain. I stayed away from people.
I made it ... I made it ... I made it ... to ... today. This Tommy Dragonfly tattoo is in memory of my only child ... my son, Tommy ... and my struggle to come back from the dark world of grief.
I wanted to share my Tommy Dragonfly Tattoo with all of you ... through time ... you've all been here for me ... you were the ones who shared my grief through my millions of written words.
All along ... you all ... quietly left comforting comments/messages for me. You all have meant the world to me ... you helped to ... save me.
Thank you, Jason Wilkins at Distink'd Tattoos in Louisburg, North Carolina for caring while you created this tattoo in honor of my son. There's no way you could have made it more perfect for me ... it's even more than I expected. Skip loves it ... and he never wanted me to have a tattoo.
Another Photo of my Tommy Dragonfly Tattoo done by Jason Wilkins ... in memory of Tommy.
If anyone is interested in getting a beautiful tattoo ... they can go to Jason's shop on Bickett Boulevard in Louisburg, NC ... and in March ... his shop will be moved to Raleigh, in the Wakefield area. I can always tell you how to get in touch with him if need be.
The name of his new shop will be Revelation Ink Tattoos & Piercings. The address is:
Revelation Ink Tattoos & Piercings
3040 Berks Way suite #103
Raleigh, North Carolina
Tattoo Artist: Jason Wilkins
(919) 265-7353
Tommy loved dragonflies ... for so long I 'felt' a dragonfly sitting on my right shoulder ... now, it's reality :) I feel comfort from it ... it has to do with my son being 'there' ... even if I can't see him. Gloria Faye Brown Bates/aka Granny Gee
Note by this Author:
Photo is of my Tommy Dragonfly Tattoo, it's owned by me ... story written by me ... Gloria Faye Brown Bates/aka Granny Gee.
Beautiful work! Wow!
ReplyDeleteThat is a beautiful dragonfly!! He did a great job! Love, Ms. Nancy
ReplyDelete