i like and agree with all of this, with one extra dimension: i've challenged myself throughout my life to view my (almost entirely stupid) tattoos as a memory reference for where i was at in my life at the time. rather than regret them (with one exception, which i've since blasted over with a solid black box as a different type of reminder), i can gauge my own growth against them and appreciate that while i'm still a huge idiot, i'm at least getting a little better day by day :) plus, my memory is pretty bad, so having a few material reminders of my past helps jog some good (and occasionally bad) memories that contribute subconsciously to who i've become as a person. thanks for posting this!
That's a great way to look at it, sort of like the idea of cutting notches in a door frame to keep track of your growth as a kid (not something my mom did, but I see it referenced a lot in movies and tv). It's good to remember where we came from, how we've evolved and recognizing that we are perhaps stronger for it.
