Ink Deep | Silent Story of Strength as Told By My Tattoo | by Liam Mills | Inspiring Story #198

Some people tell their stories out loud. Others tell them quietly through the lines on their face, bended back or a hidden scar. And some like me, ink their stories on their skin, a silent reminder of our strength and resilience.

When people first meet me, they’ll often take a quick glance at my tattoo. A sunrise over a mountain, with a river flowing from the forest into a bed of flowers.

Some people comment, “Cool tattoo.”  But they have no idea …

I was only 23. I sat in the sterile confines of my doctor's office. His cold and clinical diagnosis hit me. “You have cancer.”  Life as I knew it swept away like an avalanche, burying my career dreams under the weight of his words. My whole world spun out of control. University would have to wait.

My family was the only support I had on this tough journey. My first chemotherapy showed how hard it would be. Anxious and palms sweating I found myself in a room with others who’d faced the same shocking avalanche. There was a guy with three kids, and a 10-year-old girl who skipped her whole childhood. The resigned look on their faces warned me of the fight ahead.

There were days I felt so depressed. I wanted nothing. Even when friends threw a birthday party for me. I was smiling at everyone and looked happy, but all night I just lay on the bed and thought about how tired I was.

My mom and dad were always there for me, helping with everything. I felt like a little boy when they were around. When they weren’t,  my loneliness became an escape from the world of pity that surrounded me. Pity was the only thing I saw on everyone's faces. I did everything I could to avoid it. I tried to escape awkward conversations and that led me to discover a new passion...

Every day I’d take slow walks in the forest or by the lake. The fresh open air, and sounds of birds, expanded my mind, and calmed my anxiety. Under the sky,  I was far from doctors' gowns, hospitals, and illness leaching from its walls. Small things like a boy laughing with his mother, or a flower on the track would make me smile. The clouds carried me far away into a moment of peace. The expanse opened my heart and led me into a place of acceptance.

I accepted that I had a disease. I let go of  university and pursuing a career for a while, and focused on following the treatment. I knew that I must be strong. I would fight this. Finally, after months of treatment, and nature walks, the doctor said, “There is no cancer.”

I burst into tears. I’d hid my pain inside for too long.

After fighting cancer, I knew I could do anything.  I grew stronger through my journey.  I also discovered a new way to make it through difficult times – the healing power of nature. To remind me of my hidden strength and how I overcame, I got a tattoo. Designed on Ink-Match and personalised, it holds huge meaning for me.

The mountain represents the hard journey I overcame, the rising sun, my own resilience. The forest pays tribute to the healing that nature offered me in my darkest hours. The river, a reminder that peace and strength can be found in troubled waters. The flowers symbolise the beauty that can emerge when facing adversity .

Remember, our stories, whether written on paper, video or skin are a reminder that we have overcome great hardship. We are strong and capable at finding ways to conquer our challenges.

And, the next time you meet someone, remember, they too have a story – they might not tell it out loud. It might be written in their heart, in a glance, or a tattoo. Listen with empathy, offer encouragement where you can. Infuse strength into our collective narrative:  no matter what we face, we will find a way to rise.