This is my most recent tattoo. I got it to represent my father who retired from the railroad after putting in 50+ years. Once a year, he would always take me to see trains like this at his company picnic. I always acted excited to see the trains although I wasn't very interested in them, because I knew they meant a lot to him and I wanted to see him smile. It's one of the few memories I have of him during my childhood.
My father always put work before us kids. This lead to a very strained relationship over the years. He never seemed available so I made sure to make myself even less available.
Now a father myself, I realized he was only doing what he had to do to support the family. We have recently opened communication back up and are working on our relationship.
To me, the tattoo represents the past memories that are rusted, but still hold their sentimental worth. I get the chance to look at this tattoo daily to always remind me to be present in my childrens lives and to cherish those memories.
