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
Photos captured by Albert Quiambao and Janina Quiambao
