I love the meaning of that tattoo - makes me want to get one. If it were me, and someone asked about it, I think I would say that it's a reminder to keep going no matter how hard life might be.....this is a universal struggle, so most people would relate. As far as telling people you have a mental illness, I have learned that most people, unless they have one themselves, just really don't understand. You said that people will be asking about your illness. Do they already know you have one? If they do, I think I might say something like, "it's very hard to explain. If you want to understand it, though, there's a website you can go to......." I think it's easier for people to accept symptoms of mental illness as symptoms of mental illness, rather than some character deficiency, if they learn about it from a book or website. I don't know how many people will care enough to learn about it - my own sister hasn't - but that's the approach I'd take. Carry the strength of that tattoo with you to that reunion. Y