Do you believe that the universe can intertwine our paths in the most unexpected way? I’d like to tell you the story of a tattoo I got on Koh Samui Island during my six-month stay in Thailand. A remarkable series of coincidences that magically linked my path with Israel, an Argentinian tattoo artist.
My first tattoo appeared on my body at the age of 27. And honestly – thank goodness, because looking back at my teenage ideas, I would probably have already removed them, and the results of removal wouldn’t have been satisfying anyway. Over the past few years, I’ve observed my aesthetic making a complete 180-degree shift. My body is a temple (yes, I know how that sounds), one I take care of both inside and out, so whatever I put on my skin must be thoughtful and planned.
For my 30th birthday, I gave myself a tattoo that held great meaning for me. The inspiration came when I was still living in Warsaw and became friends with my roommates at an apartment on Unii Lubelskiej. We spent almost every evening together, and one day, Kinga suggested showing us — two Patryks — something special. But before she did, she made sure to set the right mood: she asked us to put our phones aside, connected the laptop to the speakers, and turned off the lights. I encourage you to do the same — watch the clip below.
After watching the clip, I was speechless because it contained everything I resonate with — music, aesthetics, and the depth of the message. Thank you, Kinga, for sharing your sensitivity! 🙂
For a few years now, I’ve been collecting inspiration for future tattoos in folders on Instagram and Pinterest. However, I didn’t want to rush the decision; I was waiting for an idea that would truly strike me.
A year ago, I came across a tattoo that was the perfect main inspiration. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find either the tattoo artist or the person who had it (or maybe I was just too lazy). So, I created a presentation with my concept to start looking for a tattoo artist specializing in this style. It turned out that sorting through tattoo studios in Thailand was a real hassle. I asked in Facebook groups, searched on Google Maps, but my patience quickly ran out. Finally, I scheduled an appointment with a tattoo artist on Koh Phangan, recommended by a friend, even though he specialized in a completely different style. I don’t know why I went there, as it made no sense. After three minutes of conversation, the artist said that he doesn’t do such tattoos — it’s not his style. So I sat there and thought: “Why did I send you the presentation and come to this meeting when you could have told me this during our conversation on Instagram?!”.
However, it turned out that there was a purpose behind it. After about fifteen minutes of talking about his ritual, the artist suddenly paused and said, “BUT the main tattoo from your inspiration was done by my friend.” Shocked and excited, I started asking: what, how, where?
And now, let me tell you how my jaw dropped when I found out that:
the tattoo I found in the depths of the internet,
among millions of designs,
was done by a tattoo artist from Argentina who…
LIVES ON THE NEXT ISLAND!
Of course, that same day I wrote to Israel (@tattoobypaketh) and scheduled a consultation. We worked on the design for two weeks, and compared to the little tattoo on my bicep, it was huuuuuge.
I chose the nape of my neck because this area symbolizes my inner self.. The symmetry and mandala motif were meant to externalize my “core” — empathy and sensitivity.. For most of my life, I viewed these traits as a curse because, in men, they are often associated with weakness, naivety, and a lack of masculinity. However, in recent years, I’ve come to realize that this is the most beautiful part of me, something I’m grateful for today. Empathy allows me to better understand the world and other people, and sensitivity brings me closer to nature and everything around me.
During the four tattoo sessions, I spent so much time with Israel and Mila (a friend who also tattoos) that when I was returning by ferry to Koh Phangan, I felt like I had made new friends. We talked about so many topics that I was no longer just a client, but a buddy, on whose body the artist was creating a design with deep meaning.
And now, the second part of the story, about how the Universe finally works in my favor — the day before the ferry to Koh Samui for my last tattoo session, a friend of a friend who hobby-photographs people wrote to me on Instagram. He asked if I would like to visit him sometime and do a photoshoot together. Of course! So, the next day, two hours after finishing the tattoo, we did a photoshoot at the hotel, and the following day, we took a few shots on the beach. Lucky me! Thank you Nam (@ur.fav.shortcake)
I’ve recharged my batteries for the next few weeks, if not months. Here’s another story from my travels!
The beauty of loneliness on the road
Sometimes, when loneliness is too loud, all we can do is accept it. Because nothing is more losing than constantly
In the corner of the eye.
Every week Spotify generates a personalized “Discover this week” playlist. The algorithm knows perfectly well what I like and sometimes
