#nola2016

My Precious White Flower 

 Mardi Gras Party 2016

  So  i’ve been asked many times about my hand tattoo, some questioned or of sheer curiosity, while others asked with judgement behind their eyes. If you all didn't know,  I have an Edelweiss flower tattooed on my hand. Well the reason I got this tattoo was because there was this man, that I loved so dearly,who changed the way I looked at the world, was there for me when I was at my worst and mentally at war with myself.He could see me, truly see me for who I really was. He was able to look at me and see beneath the walls and broken heart and self medicating , he saw me . Even more importantly he saw not just who I was at the time,he saw who I was to become.

Well this man was in the military, a career military type, deploying a couple times and we always kept in touch , like we knew that we would be together eventually . Some how , some way , we would find one another again . Well that wonderful human being was deployed to Germany , and there he was able to learn the language and become fluent in such . 

Now the story he told me was that when a boy was in love he would hike to find this very rare flower in the alps of Germany , and when he found that rare flower he would pic it and bring it to the woman that he loved as a token of his love , and that bonded them together forever just like a wedding ring.  

And he would write and call and talk to me and once in person call me My precious White flower in German - Menie schön Edelweiss

Well this wonderful man , no , this man that forever changed the path of my life and my soul . Was killed in action .

Leontopodium alpinum

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Edelweiss (disambiguation)

.Rifky Fadly, 1822

Leontopodium alpinum, commonly called edelweiss (English pronunciation i/ˈeɪdəlvaɪs/), is a well-known mountain flower, belonging to theAsteraceae (the daisy or sunflower family).

The plant prefers rocky limestone places at about 1,800–3,000 metres (5,900–9,800 ft) altitude. It is non-toxic, and has been used traditionally in folk medicine as a remedy against abdominal and respiratory diseases. The dense hair appears to be an adaptation to high altitudes, protecting the plant from cold, aridity and ultraviolet radiation.[2] As a scarce, short-lived flower found in remote mountain areas, the plant has been used as a symbol foralpinism, for rugged beauty and purity associated with the Alps and Carpathians, and as a national symbol especially of Austria, Switzerland, Bulgariaand Romania. According to folk tradition, giving this flower to a loved one is a promise of dedication.

WELL 

Fast forward to this MardiGras and I had one of the Veterans see my tattoo and grab my hand (gently) and say to me.

“You need to be careful with that tattoo on your hand sweetie” Me shocked by this statement told him the same story I told you all above. And within the last few words of my story he was shaking his head no , and then told me this. (Mind you this man is a history major)

“ No sweetie , the real story is the best of the best of the German army , The Warriors ,  were the ones that would make that trek to find  that flower , and the ones that made it down from that torturous feat would put that flower in their lapel  , and when you saw this . You knew to stay away from them , because they were the best of the best , the ones that would never stop till the job was finished , the true Warriors” . 

And as this man was telling this story , I started to tear up ,to when by the time  he finished, I finally gave in to the horrible knot in my esophagus , and one huge alligator tear rolled down my supple cheek . And of course I quickly wiped it away , but I wasn't that swift as I thought and everyone saw it . And he asked why I was crying ....

Struggling threw every word to not just breakdown completely I said.... 

:” So this man , that I LOVE still to this day , without knowing it , GAVE ME THE SIGN OF A WARRIOR ?? “

“And I tattooed it on my fucking hand for the whole world to see .”  with the silent tears rolling down , and me trying to stay composed. Looked everyone in the circle that was listening in the eye. And they all in some way shape or form were agreeing , whether it be lowering their heads in reverence , nodding their head agreeing or looking me dead in the eyes. I knew they all knew the magnitude of this moment .