We've all done things we never thought we would in our lives. Decisions. Decisions we made. Decisions that create the tiniest differences in our future. Decisions that we're gonna embrace for the rest of our lives—be it smoking, falling in love, hurting someone, breaking the rules, or in my case, getting inked.

I have always been awed by the beauty of minimalistic art—paintings, drawings, graphics, and most especially, tattoos. I just love how stories unfold behind the illustrations I see. Illustrations that may be baffling at first glance but reveal a profound meaning once you get to know the story behind each line, curve, and, shade.

In early 2017, prior my graduation, I really wanted to get a tattoo already. I tried so hard to think of a minimal yet meaningful design, but luck wasn’t on my side that time because 1) I couldn’t really think of any, and 2) my mom didn’t want me to get one yet. Moreover, I envisioned my first tattoo to be a portrayal of my life, and I didn't think I had enough experience in life yet at the time.

Weeks went by and things got a little rough after graduation. The transition from being a college guy to a young professional wasn’t as easy as I imagined it to be. My self-worth started to decline. Everything was falling apart. My relationship with my family became salty. My friends and I weren’t seeing each other as often as we used to. Physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion caused by work also added weight on my shoulders. I started doubting myself, even my existence. I was in the depth of my despair… at least for a while.

Knowing things wouldn’t work out if I didn’t put myself together, I started learning from my failures and really putting all the trust in myself. And since then, I have started growing one day at a time. I reckon for the past 6 months, I have learned how to enjoy life and have grown as a person. And so I decided to end the year with a decision that I’d carry on forever. A decision that would remind me of all the struggles and successes I’ve been through in the past years and also to all the shit and fuck-ups I’d face in the future.

I know there are a lot more things that I will have to face and more battles that I will have to conquer. But what matters above all is the fact that I’m genuinely happy about where I am today, and I couldn’t wait to see what life has stored for me in the forthcoming years. And no matter how many swords or bullets come my way, I am not the one to buckle down anytime soon.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned in the past year, it’s definitely making each moment worthy. You don’t have to wait for big things to come; even the smallest of things count. From the cold mornings in your veranda with a cup of coffee to each bread you take in the morning, all the songs you played on the radio, the beats you tried to dance to, beer mugs you and your friends toasted together, laughter you shared with your loved ones, even the pages you've read and the rubik's you've accomplished! It’s the teensy-weensy things that make life actually worthy. And once you learn how to enjoy those bits of moments, that’s when you know you’re truly living.

12 | 28 | 17 

Inked 

sa vie vaut la peine d'être vécue

his life is worth living

Photos captured by Albert Quiambao and Janina Quiambao