When I was nine years old, my mom brought home Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone. I finished it within days and was instantly hooked. Every summer, while kids were playing in the lawn or swimming in the inflatable pool, I was up in my room with my nose buried deep in these books. And then I started moving a lot. My dad’s work had us jumping from state to state and being the new kid so much, I had a lot of time to read. Harry Potter and the rest of the characters kept me company as I constantly had to make new friendships. In my early teens, I struggled with cutting, thoughts of suicide, obsessive compulsive disorder and depression. I bounced to a few counselors with my parents, spent some time on some medication, and had a rough few years. But, through all of that, I had those Harry Potter books. They were my light. Their stories of strength and bravery pushed me through those terrible teen years. And now as a young woman, a young adult, entering my senior year of college, I have realized how much Harry Potter has changed and molded me. In the past two years, I have started to struggle with panic attacks and anxiety, and this is the point where I see the end of this battle. It isn’t the end of the war. I think I will always face phases of depression and anxiety, but right now, just as Harry Potter and my college years come to a close, I realize I will be okay. This tattoo represents something that I grew alongside. I got it in honor of the Deathly Hallows, the Three Brothers (Voldemort, Snape, and Harry) and the chapter stars for the entire series. It means so much to me. I think it is beautiful.
Done at Hardcore Desert Tattoo in Tucson, AZ
