A subject in our society that has many points of view and that I personally have an interest in is tattoos.

I have tattoos. It is becoming the norm for people from all walks of life to have a tattoo, yet, society still tends to have a negative view toward them.

More than 40 percent of adult Americans have at least one tattoo — almost half of our adult population, according to statisticbrain.com. So, it seems odd that there is still such a stigma attached.

When I was 18, I had the tattoo talk with my mother.

After I told her of my plan to get a tattoo, she gave the typical mom response of, “Really think before you do this. Some people will not hire you if you have tattoos. It will never come off your body. Think what it will look like when you are older.”

She also let me know that it was my choice and my body to do with what I wanted.

As soon as I knew my mother would be OK with me having a tattoo, I ran to the nearest tattoo parlor and got my ink.

I was a good kid. I received good grades in school and I followed rules just fine as well.

Yet, I knew that when I got a tattoo, certain people would immediately tag me as an irresponsible, wild child — all because I have ink on my skin.

Society needs to learn to see past tattoos and instead, look at the person.

My tattoos are a testimony to what I believe and put my faith in.

People often ask me if I regret getting tattoos and sometimes, my answer is yes although I honestly could not picture myself without them. My tattoos are a part of me and who I am. It’s a statement, no different than when I use language to verbalize things I hold dear and believe in.

And I’m not alone.

The number of people in the U.S. getting tattoos is continuing to grow, according to TheWeek.com. That tells me it’s time for society to accept them and stop looking at people with tattoos differently.

As I have gotten older, I do see more clearly now what my mother was telling me back when I first decided to get a tattoo — that it is permanent and will never go away.

Fortunately, I have never been turned down for a job because of my tattoos or experienced anything that has made me regret getting them.

If anyone is in a dilemma about getting a tattoo just remember it will always be with you. Make sure you really like the art you have chosen and do the research to find a tattoo parlor that will provide a safe, clean, good experience.

Do not let what you think society thinks about tattoos make your decision for you.