Tales of the Tattoo is a space where I am encouraging audience participation. If you are willing, submit a photo of your tattoo and a story of why you got it to natetheworld@gmail.com. I will share all submissions in an ever-expanding post.  

Nathan Box, A String Cut Short  

In 2014, my youngest brother, Lucas, died by suicide. I wanted to carry his memory with me forever. I also wanted a tattoo that could serve as a conversation starter. The best way for me to hold his memory is to have people ask about him. I also wanted a starting point for a conversation about mental health.  

I sketched the initial design and a much more talented artist improved upon my work. I chose his birth and death dates as bookends. I chose a string because of a tale about the Greek Fates. The Moirai were spinners of fate who controlled the lives of humans in pieces of thread. Clotho spun the thread. Lachesis handled it. Atropos cut the thread at the end of one’s life. The Norns tended to the fates of people and gods in the roots of the tree of life. As a sign that my brother's life was cut short, I added scissors.