“The quote ‘we accept the love we think we deserve’ commemorates so many things in my life. I was raised in a community where tattoos were taboo. I grew up in a small Jewish community in the Kansas City area. In Judaism, one of the most spread wives’ tales is that it’s against Jewish tradition to be buried in a Jewish cemetery if you have a tattoo. It’s not the case, but it’s pushed so far down our throats. People still ask me not to get any more tattoos, people that aren’t related to me at all. But our community is essentially a family.

When I went to college I finally built up the courage to tell my family I wanted a tattoo, that it was important to me. This is by far the first time I ever openly went against my parents beliefs. I was my own person, who got the chance to put a quote on my arm that means more to me than most things. It reminds me that my life is my decision and my decision alone. After getting this tattoo and maintaining the respect of my family and friends, I realized I can be my own person. I no longer have to be to be the exact person my community wants me to be. I can take these morals and beliefs and be who I want. This led to my next tattoo, ‘(in)finite.’ The sentiment to it is that our mortality is finite but our potential is infinite, so we have to do the most and best we can, with the time we are given. I don’t have to spend my time trying to be the person others want me to be, it’s a waste a time. Just being me is okay.”