What do you think about ink? Tattoos have been around for centuries — even Ötzi the Iceman got all inked up before the deep freeze. From the Neolithic Era to present day, humans have found themselves fascinated with body modification.

Tattoos are, in my opinion, the best way we can express individuality. Each mark, permanently left on the skin, can be an attribute of one’s self, a particular interest or even just aesthetically pleasing. So if you’re thinking of inking, what should it be about?

Now, I’m not one to say one tattoo is better than another, but I personally believe each tattoo should correspond to at least something in your life. Permanent markings — they really don’t go away — shouldn’t reflect temporal things.

I remember a short story by Flannery O’Connor called “Parker’s Back.” If you’re unfamiliar, I highly recommend you give it a read — it’s a truly wonderful piece of gothic literature, but that’s a subject for another day. In summary, a pretty nonreligious man, Parker, gets a huge portrait of Jesus slapped on his back in order to please a woman. I think this is the wrong sort of tattoo.

If you’re thinking about marking your body for a cause that you can’t guarantee to yourself will be a permanent part of your life, it could very well end up being a regrettable experience.

Parker has other tattoos besides the holy portrait. All over his body, he has colorful tattoos of seemingly no significance. The man — this part doesn’t nearly bother me as much, as it isn’t necessarily indicative of any personality traits — enjoys seeing colorful pictures on his body.

This is the lesser evil of the two ignorant types of tattoos. Despite the negative connotation of the previous sentence, I can understand why people would get a tat that just looked awesome. After all, it’s your body, so paint it how you like.

However, I encourage you find something radical that can speak to your soul.

If you can find an image, a symbol, even a word or character to symbolize something important to you, you’re on the right track. If the mark speaks to your persona, it’s going to do more than just please your eye.

It’s a wonderful thing, expressing importance outwardly for all to see. Personally, I have a tattoo for each member of my immediate family, as they’re central to my definition of self. I can’t think of a better way to demonstrate how my family has shaped my life than representing them with a tattoo.

Let me tell you why: Tattoos hurt, man. I won’t sugarcoat it. You’ll be stabbed with needles over and over. Some are easier to bear than others, but it’s never a fun experience.

I’ll tell you what, though. There’s a beautiful moment in getting inked. Right after your artist finishes stabbing you all over, and right before he wraps you up — assuming you’re getting this done for the right reasons — you can truly appreciate a part of you in a new light.

Not only does a physical representation contribute to your own sense of self, but also you’re ready for others to be able to understand something about you. Art should have a purpose. What better purpose than to express yourself?

Again, speaking personally, I only get inked when I’ve identified something that really matters to me. I didn’t always have a great relationship with my brother, but something clicked and we really got close recently. Therefore, I was ready to show the world how much he meant to me, and I marked my body for him.

That’s the last thing. Getting a tattoo for something you’re passionate about hurts in a good way. If you can’t tell if you should get a piece or not, ask yourself if you’re willing to hurt and, especially if you’re getting color, bleed for it.