A little reminder of great strength

Do you have a teddy bear? A security blanket? Some kind of a lucky charm that you carry around with you? I'm curious because I've been leaning on mine lately, and it got me wondering about everyone else's. \nI should explain that I'm referring to my tattoo. Bizarre sounding, yes, but quite true. I awoke one morning about 18 months ago with what can only be described as a compulsion to get a tattoo. I've never wanted one, but on this day I suddenly knew I must have one, where it was supposed to go and what it was supposed to be of. After six months of searching for exactly the correct design, I finally went under the needle last Christmas.\nI was so scared in the minutes immediately preceding its application that I had to sit down because I was about to faint. The tattoo artist looked at me doubtfully and said, "Uh, you're gray," before shrugging and firing up that buzzing little gun. I nearly threw up at the sound. But I have to confess, the process was nowhere near as painful as I expected. Supposedly, mine is in one of the worst (i.e. most sensitive) places to get needled, too. It's at the very base of my lower back, in the middle. But it was more annoying than painful, like a scrape or a paper cut. And the result is my own personal badge of courage. About the size of a ping pong ball, it's a Chinese character that means "To conquer," and the guy that drew it for me included a little extra squiggle that means "Winner or Victor."\nIt's always with me. It won't fade away or wear out. It's a constant, permanent reminder that I am sometimes capable of amazing acts of personal strength. Since the day I faced off with the needle and walked away the victor, this tattoo has been symbolic of everything that I have accomplished, or hope to accomplish. It may sound ridiculous, but I draw strength from it.\nWhen school, work and financial pressures pile up, I need only to think about what my mom calls, "that splotch" on my back. It's a reminder that I can conquer anything I set out to. People sometimes notice the tattoo if I'm leaning over, and they usually ask me what it means. A few of them have responded, "Conquer what?" I always say, "Oh, life. The world. Anything I want." That\'s the point of my tattoo. It's a little "You go, girl," my lucky charm, and a symbol of how strong I really am. \nThere are people on campus who probably assume I suffer from extreme lower back problems; the people sitting behind me during exams who've seen me press my hand to my back right before I lean over and start writing. It's not back pain, though. It's superstition. It's a silent little pep talk with myself; "conquered that, so I can conquer this."\nI think everyone needs one of these. No, not a tattoo. Simply something to turn to for strength when needed. And not a person either. I'm talking about inner strength. We all need something that we can look at, or touch, or even just think about when we're feeling overwhelmed, intimidated or weak. Because, technically, we all possess the strength to conquer. Sometimes we just need a reminder, that's all.