Change Happens

About a month ago, I was in the mall with my sister and husband. I was in Claire's, minding my own business, and someone I went to high school with approached me. Instead of saying hello, like every other decent person, they said,

"Hey, you got a tattoo."  

I turned to them, surprised. I hadn't seen this person in three years, and that's the response I got. So I responded with a simple,

"Yes, I did."

And they said something that I had heard many times.

"I just never pictured you as someone who would ever get a tattoo."

-_-

Are you kidding me? That's it? You see me after three years and that's all you have to say? Of course, I had already heard this from many of my former classmates, but for some reason, this irritated me the most. But I wasn't going to let them know it. So I replied, kindly of course...

"People change."

And it's true. I have changed a lot since high school. My old self would have never joined the Guard. She wouldn't have gotten married at the age of 19. She wouldn't have decided to study nursing instead of computer science. She wouldn't have gone to Washington D.C. without at least calling her mother every night. Old me would never have experienced or done any of the things present me does or did. I am proud of my tattoos. My military experience. My young marriage. My trips around the country. My choice of career. I am proud of myself and all of these things. It makes me amazing. And I know my future self will be even more stunning.