by R. Elizabeth Love

Created on: November 13, 2009

I've had my piercing for a year now. It's nothing I regret because now it's not noticeable. I can take it out for work and interviews and things like that so it's really no big deal.

It really is great not at all that painful it all depends on the person's tolerance for pain. My experience was wonderful even though I had to go through a great deal of begging and pleading with my mother it was fine. I was terrified but it was all over within the blink of an eye.

The worst part of it for me honestly was the little clamp thingy they use on your tongue, and not being able to eat properly. I remember snatching the clamp off and waving it around in my hand complaining about how it hurt and demading to know what it was and why it needed to be used.

The first thing I ate afterwards was popcorn chicken from Sonic. It was hilarious my tongue was swollen and I didn't know how to chew with this foreign object on my tongue. So I broke off little pieces and stuffed it back as far as I could so that I chew to the best of my ability and then I would tilt my head back so that I could swallow it. After choking a few times and an hour I had finished a regular sized popcorn chicken.

But to have a tongue piercing in my opinion you have to be a certain kind of person. Kinda rough around the edges because a tongue piercing isn't accepted by everyone and the ones that do often accept the myths and things that come with it.

What's it like having a tongue piercing? Personally it's a battle. I got mine for decoration. People say your body is a temple and all that good stuff well I want mine decorated with a few permanent things I guess that's one way to put it.

After the jokes and teasing stopped the whispers and gossip started. "You know what they say bout people with tongue rings?" That's all I heard for a long time. My grandma always wanted to know why I wanted to mutilate my body and said that it was against God's will.

I was questioned every time I opened my mouth and anybody saw it. "Did that hurt?" Or people would say: "if it was me I wouldn't have one it hurt bad enough to accidentally bite your tongue. Imagine purposely sticking a needle through it."

I'm not an ugly girl so I attract a little attention with out and to turn around to face a guy running up behind me and have him see it and ask "you know how to use that thing?" This happens quite often.

Sure its fine having your tongue pierced and not one day goes by that I regret it. I love my piercing and I wouldn't change anything about it, but if you don't have one already and you're contemplating getting one then you should really consider this.

Are you willing to deal with the stares, talking funny, being teased, talked to any kind of way because people believe everything they hear about tattoos and piercings whether its fact or fiction? Or are your edges rough enough that you can deal with everything that comes with it after the swelling reduces and you can eat and talk properly again?

All in all it's like life. It's great some days and a pain in the ass other days.

Learn more about this author, R. Elizabeth Love.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.