not a super picture, but after waiting years and deciding long and hard, I finally got the anchor tattoo for my Grammy Baran.
My Grammy has been dealing with Alzheimer’s Disease for awhile now, and while thankfully she’s still around, shedoesn’t remember much at all. It’s been painful watching her go through this. She always was and always will be one of my biggest heroes and inspirations in my life.
Long ago, when Grampsy passed away, I’d visit her every day. After school, on weekends and days off. Hell, I’d even fake sick just to leave school early to see her and make sure she was alright. We always sat at her kitchen table, talking about life for hours, and she’d give me the best advice. We used to colour and draw together, and one day she and I got a big piece of paper, and drew what we both loved and what made us smile. Being a silly little child, I drew the sun, because it made me smile. She drew a simple anchor, and I was confused. She said, “After Grampsy passing, I feel like my friends and family are my anchors. They keep me here, keep me grounded.”
I’ve never had a memory touch me as much as that one. To some, this tattoo may seem like a stereotypical anchor tattoo because it’s the “cool thing” to get. To me, it actually holds so much more. I try living by her words, finding happiness in anything to keep me grounded, especially now more than ever as I’m recovering from my self harm addiction.
There’s also a forget-me-not flower on the anchor, using that as a reminder that she’s somewhere in her mind. The old Grammy. The real Barbara Baran. I know how into preserving memories she was, and I’m the same, if not more into it because of watching her go through Alzheimer’s from the beginning.
This wouldn’t have happened if it weren’t for Derek from A Psychic Unicorn in Kingston, PA and his wonderful artwork. I couldn’t be happier with this. So, thank you. I’ll always have this meaningful memory, and a part of her with me, a good part that will never fade away.