The Legacy Tattoo: Behind the Story

Ok. Thanks for clicking to read this, because honestly, sending this story into the world kind of scares me. And I really want to provide some context for this story.

First, I’m still not sure I’m the right person to tell this story. In more ways than one, it’s not my story to tell. As a male writer, I realize that there is an enormous possibility for getting this all wrong. But as one of my girls said to me, “Dad, you have the pen.” So here I am.

While there might be a number of themes to the story, ultimately I wanted it to be about how strong women can pass along those traits to make strong girls. Our children have been given personality traits that almost seem genetic, passed down from generation to generation. Listening to our parents’ stories about growing up, their early days of marriage, trying to make ends meet, doing what needs to be done to sustain a family. These stories are important, because it’s sometimes easy to forget just how incredibly strong these past generations had to be in order to survive. And I truly believe that one of the reasons my wife and I have been able to raise such remarkable, outstanding children, is because of OUR parents.

In the meantime, my girls got (nearly) matching tattoos (any guesses?) which then inspired an idea. What if those traits that we recognize and admire could be passed along in a more tangible way? Something that could be seen and touched? And what if the super powers from a grandmother or grandfather weren’t simply figurative, but literal, and could be passed along, could be gifted? And what if those powers could manifest themselves into something fantastic. Transforming. Life changing and life-affirming.

And thus, the legacy tattoo was born. A way that a grandmother’s super power could be gifted to her granddaughter, to protect her and empower her.

I really wanted to get this story right and have relied heavily on a number of editors and advanced readers for an insight and perspective that I could never have first-hand. To all of them, I owe a huge debt of thanks. If I have erred, I hope it is neither egregiously nor offensively.

Many, many thanks for reading.

—phillip