Back in April, Paris Jackson got a tattoo to pay tribute to her late, legendary father.
The 18-year-old followed that up with more ink, and today she revealed why she’s been so eager to complete her sleeves:
As you may recall, it wasn’t that long ago that Jackson struggled with severe depression in the wake of her father’s death.
Paris attempted suicide in 2013, and she recently revealed that she engaged in self-harm practices such as cutting for several years.
Now, Paris is speaking for the first time about how her painful past inspired her current fondness for tattoos.
In a lengthy caption for the above Instagram photo, the 18-year-old revealed that while she likes the look of her ink, her decision to go under the needle was inspired by more than simple aesthetics:
“Today I can look at my inner forearms and see art that has meaning for me, I don’t see a dark past anymore,” Paris wrote.
“My scars and past of self-hatred have been covered by loving marks, creativity, ingenuity.. and depth. Sure I will always carry my past with me, but I see ink as a way of changing for the better, always improving.
“They represent strength for me. I look back at my old self and then i look in the mirror, and i see a fighter looking back at me. I’ll always keep fighting, and encouraging others to stay strong.
“We all go through hell every now and then but it makes us the warriors of love we were meant to be. so to anyone struggling, it gets better. You’re not alone.”
Inspiring stuff from an 18-year-old who’s been through an awful lot.
Scars from early struggles may never disappear, but it’s nice to hear that Paris has figured out a way to write her own story right over them.
We’re sure Michael would be proud that she’s followed in his footsteps by using art as a means of coping with the memories of a painful childhood.
