My first tattoo was my owl with a birdcage for a ribcage. I hid it from my family for SIX MONTHS. On Christmas I was finally like, I can't do this anymore. *lifts t-shirt sleeve* My mom and dad flipped out. Now they are more accepting of who I am, but at the time... this was a really big ordeal.
To me recently, I have realized the meaning has changed behind this tattoo. I think it's a good representation of the word angst:
noun \ˈäŋ(k)st, ˈaŋ(k)st\
: a strong feeling of being worried or nervous : a feeling of anxiety about your life or situation
I got the tattoo with the intention of it meaning that I felt trapped in something I was dealing with at the time. But I also see this now in a more positive light. Even birds who are free have things inside of them that make them feel trapped.... it has made me appreciate a lot more I have achieved because I have come so far from this dark period in my life.
"...Let fringed wings free"