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A Tattoo Tale:

Ink to live by

By Anand GopaulPublished 4 years ago 8 min read
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I adore telling stories, and my tattoos will tell you about my very own. Folks say your body is your temple, I just choose to paint the walls. When I view myself in the mirror I see the tattoos that I have and the one I have yet to get. The tattoo process was always just uncovering what is already there, revealing my chosen birthmarks. I believe I have gotten a tattoo or piercing yearly since my first tattoo as a promise to keep investing in myself so I don't forget about me. Let's go on a tour through time, we'll start at the beginning as tradition goes.

"A man chooses, a slave obeys." - Andrew Ryan, BioShock.

The Chains on my wrists, some of you will recognize right away from the videogame BioShock I was 12 at the time when I was released. It was the first game to suspend my disbelief and fully immerse me. I automatically applied my moral compass to my actions in the game. I could feel the living and breathing world that the writers created. I saw that videogames could be more than just games. Fast forward, I'm 18 in my first year of college studying videogame development. As my first tattoo, it symbolized the beginning of myself. In the fall of the year prior I had lost an important parental figure. It was important to me that I deemed something worthy to carry with me for the rest of my life. A little less than a year later I moved out into the city. One step at a time I was choosing the life I wanted to live.

"It's moments like these" - Anand Gopaul.

Ok, I know it looks bad I'm quoting myself but bear with me! It's there just like a note, on the inside of my left forearm. As I went through triumphs and hardships growing up I would always keep it in mind that "it's moments like these, that let you know you're alive." This tattoo is my reminder that for everything we go through good or bad, big or small, it's all a part of this diverse experience of life. When I look at it, it tells me to breathe don't run from bad feelings, take things in stride, get to the other side. I have to keep moving but I set the pace.

I really love Adidas.

Okay, I'm joking, a bit... My third tattoo is the three bands on my forearm. They capture my outlooks on life like the equal importance of the past, present, & future or creation, preservation, & destruction. I also see the representation of my Grandmother, Sister, and Mother in them because they all equally formed who I am in their own ways.

Out at sea, but not alone.

At the base of my left bicep, there's a love letter in the bottle. I believe my experience exists within my perspective of the world, by emanating positivity to influence the environment and the people around me I give myself a sort of control. Always acting out of love and kindness sending positivity will create waves visible or invisible. Right across on the other lower bicep, there is a woman and man shaking hands. My note to myself to always act with purpose. The simple act holds a lot of meaning. You entrust another with your hand, toy outreach to give a bit of yourself to build trust. I choose to give others trust first to reach out in good faith they'll meet me in the middle. I received these on the same day by two artists at the same time, arms stretched wide open. That was a fun experience.

A gamblers life

I got a pair of dice that rolled snake eyes (ones). I had planned a trip out of town to head to Montreal, Quebec to meet a friend I had made on Instagram through my poetry writing. This was my first time traveling alone. I booked it as fast as possible and planned in about two days and left three days later! While there, my journey took many twists and turns but everything worked out as long as I kept a calm, cool, and collected mindset. To commemorate the whirlwind experience I got this tattoo, to symbolize taking risks. Traditionally it also tells that you're dangerously charismatic which I genuinely relate to.

Poker face

My most recent one is the royal flush of spades on my left forearm, right across from the dice. While I was in Montreal and I had helped an old friend of mine get a job at a friend's tattoo shop. When I was back in town my friend was grateful for the help and wanted to give me a tattoo so I picked this one to cross off my list. I tell myself to play the cards you are dealt in life, you can make anything work. But I took a little liberty in making it so I would have the best possible hand. And I placed the ace of spades in the front because that's known as the death card. I can change so much about life by how I live, yet the one thing we all have to face with no say in the matter is death.

Buried Gems: Hands

I suppose if you made it this far you're interested to hear what's next for my ink! Key information about everything I'm about to describe I will do it all with various line work and continuing to get no shading. Let's start with my knuckles. I want to get "Come Home" on one row and "Dear Love" on the lower row as an endearing message to those who read it and hug. On my lower fingers above my palms, I want to get "I have mercy" to state to myself to not respond in anger or with malice. Moving to the edge of my palm I would want "swing away" representing getting what you want out of life by going out to reach for your dreams. My left middle finger, I want a moon and on the side of my index I'll get a star hanging off a rope so together it's a symbol to keep dreaming. My right palm will have a large "X" to mark the end of a dotted line that wraps around my arm that starts from the back center of my head. meaning those I hold are my treasure and I can bring my ideas into reality. On the back of my right hand, I'll put a classic Ed Hardy piece called "Surf or Die" which features an Oni surfing on a dragon facing my left hand. Finishing off my hands on the top of my left hand, I will place some waves crashing against some rocks with a lighthouse on the outside of my forearm that goes to my elbow. These tattoos mean looking out for folks and understanding that people are always fighting their own battles and even though your interactions with someone might not end well never wish ill will look out for others. And that one of my main driving purposes is to do good by others because I can.

Buried Gems: Arms

My left elbow I would love to have a shark jaw around it showing affinity to the sea/water being a Pisces and all. And on my ditch on the same side, I'll get a moon with a face that's with some clouds admiring a smiling sun on my right ditch. The sun and moon keep the idea of duality within life at the forefront of my mind. My right elbow will have a french diving helmet from the 1800s representing that all innovation starts somewhere. My Right outer arm I want to get a large Sailor Jerry style heart with a name banner and flowers. I know what you're thinking, and no I'll never put a name within the banner. On my left shoulder, I want to put a navy coat epaulet one with an anchor on my left and a compass rose on my right. Those tattoos are for my grandmother and my grandfather they are/were the guiding force & what cemented my small family together. I want to keep them with me always.

Buried Gems: Torse

I want to get two olive branches where my lower abs area as decoration. But you know me by now, so it also helps that an olive branch tattoo mean peace, wisdom, and triumph. Right above that around my belly button, I want to get my astrological natal chart. Since I was young I always believed that this world we live in is "magic" and I followed the ideas of astrology and horoscopes. I say that if we are made of matter from the universe we are connected to it. To have my chart imprinted permanently from where I started seems quite fitting.

The main piece on my chest would be a deer skull in the center of my chest with antlers that stretch just above my collar line on my neck and shoulders. Deers represent the way I look at life with a strong sense of curiosity, and innocence.

Buried Gems: Head

Finally, we've reached the top. I want to get a hibiscus flower at the center of my collar bones with a 6 laurel leaves on each side with very simple waves going to the top of my neck. I was very quiet growing up, but I've learned how to speak up and communicate effectively verbally. This symbolizes not drowning in your words you can't hold your tongue permanently. The flower was for my Grandfather it was his favorite flower he would always be calculated in his responses to not hurt the feelings of others and still get his point across. around my head on my scalp, I want to get a large plane cursive phrase that the edges of the words leak just peaking from my hairline. And finally, a Tattoo above my right eyebrow that reads "memento mori" This is quite literal in the sense that people will judge me for it by other people yet it doesn't matter because we all die.

This body is my vessel, I'm going to paint it. I want to tell you about myself without speaking. I can't wait to wear my skin proudly radiating everything that I am in life.

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About the Creator

Anand Gopaul

Hi there! I'm a creative from Toronto, Canada! Writing has been a passion of mine since I was really young expressing my thoughts and emotions. Now it has evolved into a way I understand life by dissecting & romanticizing moments.

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