In the end, it’s all about satisfaction

“Look at a day when you are supremely satisfied at the end. It’s not a day when you lounge around doing nothing; it’s when you’ve had everything to do, and you’ve done it.”
-Margaret Thatcher

John Joyce uploaded a couple of images from what I can assume to be a recent cutting that he did.  What caught my eye wasn’t the scar itself (although it does look great), but it’s the look on the woman’s face when she’s staring down at the finished product.

I’m sure most of us have been in this situation before, when you’ve sat down for a procedure, be it tattoos, scars, piercings, etc, and after the artist is finished you finally get a look at the culmination of goal.  That feeling of satisfaction that what you had imagined in your head was finally realized on your body.  You can tell in the image that she is very happy with John’s work.  Whatever the story may be behind the piece, you can see in her face the satisfaction.

The last time I felt that way was pretty recently.  I had the final sitting on my most recent piece, just some touchups really, but I got off the table, stood up, and looked at my arm.  There’s the moment you feel where you have a wave of relief wash over you, at the same time a moment of sadness hits as well.  You’re elated the work is done, but also sad that this shared experience you had with the artist is finally at the end.  It may be that feeling that drives so many of us to continue to be modified.  The sense of control over our bodies, and the ability to share something so personal with someone that you may barely know.  A bond that forms that you will never forget.

So while John will move on to his next client, the time spent with this woman will be forever etched into his mind.  As for the recipient, she has something not only etched into her mind, but also her body.