Mehndi-ed

A friend of mine (a very new friend) gave me a Mehndi. You know, the henna designs you get in your hands? It's usually reserved for special occasions and weddings and stuff. Brides and bridegrooms have it done all the time. Linked with love, I imagine. My new friend's from Indian/Pakistani descent and did a wonderful job drawing in my hands. I feel privileged. It was a very intimate experience, this sharing of her cultural heritage with me. Very touching.
I fell in love with Mehndi awhile ago but this is the first time I've had someone do some for me. And I love it! I saw it in the Mary Magdalene character in The Last Temptation and Madonna -always a mile ahead of anybody- sported one in the video for Frozen years ago. I like it because it's subtly subversive. I imagine people expect only girls to have them -even though culturally guys sport them too- and only people of Middle-eastern descent or something. It's good to go against people's expectations.
My friend said that the darker the design ends up being, the more you're loved. Mine is dark. Should I believe that I'm loved? I think I better do. After all, love is what you want it to be.