I laugh softly at the next symbol. It’s the one that I receive the most compliments about, even though it’s considered inappropriate in most social circles nowadays. The pink flower is beautiful and impressively detailed. “This is a tobacco plant bloom. It’s the symbol of my history, considering I was raised on a tobacco farm. It taught me a strong work ethic and loyalty.” I tap the last symbol with the tip of my finger. “The semicolon is in honor of my father and my family surviving his suicide attempt. I’m beyond grateful that God wasn’t finished with his story. And I placed it on the end as a reminder that my story continues also.”

I roll the sleeve down and refasten the cuff. “Now that you know the history behind the tattoo, do you still feel the same as your first impression of it?”

“No . . . That’s courageous.”

“Do you see my point? If you only allow people the first glimpse and don’t share more, you give them the power of assumption. Show them you’re more than that. Show them you’re also courageous.”

We wrap up the session, and after Sylvia leaves, I lock up and do the same. I pull out onto the highway and head toward Lake Murray, but nostalgia has me taking a detour.

Pa is doing much better these days and still delivers a sermon in the small chapel every Sunday, but I like to pop in and check on him when I can. He’s learned to live with his bipolar depression. Although he’s able to live a more stable life, he will always have to cope with his mental illness. The constant ups and downs of medication adjustments, the revolving doors of new counselors, and relapses will make sure of it. Thankfully, we all figured out it did no one any good to keep his illness hidden. Nowadays, Pa tells us when he’s having a bad day and we talk about how that affects us. It’s amazing how freeing conversation can be. It’s healthy and I highly recommend it.

Mental illness is much like cancer when choosing a victim. Neither discriminates. Pa has no control over his affliction, but he can and does choose daily to manage his symptoms. And each one of us who are a part of his support system must continue to lift him up when he starts declining. To not allow him to give in to the darkness that tries so hard to overwhelm him at times.