Usually all my tattoos came at good times. A tattoo is something permanent when you've made a self-discovery, or something you've come to a conclusion about.

I grew up as this very carefree, happy kid then things turned darker for me. Maybe it was because I saw that the world wasn't as happy a place as I had hoped it would be for me.

When someone loves you, and when you make someone happy, you suddenly start to feel the most beautiful person in the world.

Love should be that person that inspires you to be a better person.

There is no shame in being a survivor of sexual violence. The shame is on the aggressor.

I went through what I imagine thousands of other women have felt. I told myself to stay calm, to be strong, and that I had no reason to think I wouldn't live to see my children grow up and to meet my grandchildren.

No, no, no, I've just grown up too much to be hurt by what people's opinion of my love life is.