Since my childhood I have been fascinated by tattoos. I truly believe that many tatoos are pieces of art and the designers of that are true artist. BUT... I don't have one and never will get one... I work in a business that is all about decorating bodies, but even nowadays that it is possible to remove tattoos, I don't think I will ever want one.

While I was growing up in the 1980s and 1990s a tattoo was still not as common as today. Now it seems quarter of the population has a tattoo. In 2007 The Pew Research Center found out that 36% of 18-35 year olds have at least one tattoo. So, for years I wondered why I am so opposed to tattoos... Yesterday I received an e-mail with a cartoon that summarizes my feelings about tattoos:

Although I am from 1979 and don't consider myself as old, I really feel old when I talk about people about tattoos and explain to them that I always think of people with numbers on their arm. I feel SO old when they don't understand that I am referring back to the Second World War in Europe and the Holocaust. I really get worried and sad when people don't even know what the word Holocaust means and refers to! Therefore I want to pay respect to a lady that did something AMAZING in those days:

Two years ago a 98 year-old lady named Irena Sendler passed away. During World War II, Irena, got permission to work in the Warsaw Ghetto, as a Plumbing/Sewer specialist. She had an 'ulterior motive' .... She KNEW what the Nazi's plans were for the Jews. Irena smuggled infants out in the bottom of the tool box she carried and she carried in the back of her truck a burlap sack (for larger kids). She also had a dog in the back that she trained to bark when the Nazi soldiers let her in and out of the ghetto. The soldiers of course wanted nothing to do with the dog and the barking covered the kids/infants noises. During her time of doing this, she managed to smuggle out and save 2500 kids/infants. She was caught, and the Nazi's broke both her legs, arms and beat her severely. Irena kept a record of the names of all the kids she smuggled out and kept them in a glass jar, buried under a tree in her back yard. After the war, she tried to locate any parents that may have survived it and reunited the family. Most of them did not return... Those kids she helped and have been placed into foster family homes or adopted.

In 2007 Irena was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize .... She was not selected.  Al Gore won, for a theory on Global Warming (which has been disputed...).

Let us never forget!
There is a saying that comes to mind: "If you save a life, you save a whole world."
Please don't forget!

It is now 65 years after the Second World War in Europe ended. I write this in memory of the 20 million Russians, 10 million Christians, 6 million Jews and 1,900 Catholic priests who were murdered, massacred, raped, burned,  starved and humiliated with 'The Others' looking the other way!

Now, more than ever, with Iraq, Iran, and others, claiming the Holocaust to be 'a myth,' it is important to make sure the world never forgets, because there are others who would like to do it again...

For more information on Irena Sendler, check the Wikipedia page about her.