If you encounter someone with this tattoo on their hand, you should know what it symbolizes.

For different people, tattoos and other body markings can represent a wide range of meanings. Something that is revered in one part of the world could be viewed as inappropriate in another; a symbol or piece of art that has significant value in one place might seem like random squiggles in another. It’s safe to say, in my opinion, that for as long as we have been as a species, people have used their appearances to communicate ideas and express themselves.

Unless you’re a resident of a remote island, you’re probably accustomed to seeing tattooed individuals. Certain designs can be little regrets from childhood, but others might have deeper significance—telling tales or following customs or traditions, for example.I don’t know about you, but I always find it fascinating when I see the same tattoo on multiple people.

That is to say, I’m instantly captivated by the meaning of the tattoo and the reasons the owner felt it was so important to have it on display for the rest of their lives. One that I have witnessed many times over the years but have never taken the time to look into is the so-called “red string of fate.”

The small red tattoo will certainly be recognizable to some of our readers, but it is unlikely that many of those who have seen it before will get its symbolic meaning. I did say that I had seen a couple folks with the tattoo. Certainly enough to identify a trend. I had no idea what this mark meant, but it had to imply something.

I used the internet to conduct some research and found that the red thread tattoo in issue is known as the “red string of fate” in Asian traditions. Usually seen on men’s thumbs and women’s pinky fingers, the tattoo has a basic bow-like design with tails that mimics a tied shoelace.This small tattoo has a meaning that is centered on optimism and desire.

The tale is purportedly based on a folktale from China about a matchmaker who foretells the partners that each of us is destined to meet.Naturally, the notion that one is fated to meet someone else is not exclusive to romantic endeavors, nor is the idea of sharing an invisible relationship with another person confined to any one culture; rather, it is present in practically all of them.

No matter where they are, when they are, or what happens, two people are meant to be lovers, according to the red string of fate. That is a comforting and pleasurable concept for some people. Still others, meanwhile, surely would prefer to be masters of their own fate.

My Ex-wife Demands That I Give the Money I Saved for Our Late Son to Her Stepson – My Answer Shocked Her and Her New Husband

When my ex-wife demanded the money I saved for our late son be given to her stepson, I thought grief had dulled my hearing. But as I sat across from her and her smug husband, their audacity crystal clear, I realized this wasn’t just about money — it was about defending my son’s legacy.

I sat on Peter’s bed, and the room was too quiet now. His things were everywhere. Books, medals, a half-finished sketch he’d left on the desk. Peter loved to draw when he wasn’t busy reading or figuring out some complicated problem that made my head spin.

A boy drawing | Source: Pexels

A boy drawing | Source: Pexels

“You were too smart for me, kid,” I muttered, picking up a photo frame from his nightstand. He had that crooked grin, the one he’d flash whenever he thought he was outsmarting me. He usually was.

This picture was taken just before my smart boy got into Yale. I still couldn’t believe it sometimes. But he never got to go. The drunk driver made sure of that.

A man mourning his loved one | Source: Pexels

A man mourning his loved one | Source: Pexels

I rubbed my temples and sighed. The grief hit me in waves, like it had since November. Some days, I could almost function. Other days, like today, it swallowed me whole.

The knock on the door brought me back. Susan. She’d left a voicemail earlier. “We need to talk about Peter’s fund,” she’d said. Her voice was sweet but always too practiced, too fake. I didn’t call back. But, now, here she was.

A woman on her phone | Source: Pexels

A woman on her phone | Source: Pexels

I opened the door. She was dressed sharp as always, but her eyes were cold.

“Can I come in?” Susan asked, stepping past me before I could answer.

I sighed and motioned toward the living room. “Make it quick.”

She sat down, making herself at home. “Look,” she said, her tone was casual like this was no big deal. “We know Peter had a college fund.”

A woman on her couch | Source: Pexels

A woman on her couch | Source: Pexels

I immediately knew where this was going. “You’re kidding, right?”

Susan leaned forward, smirking. “Think about it. The money’s just sitting there. Why not put it to good use? Ryan could really benefit.”

“That money was for Peter,” I snapped. My voice rose before I could stop it. “It’s not for your stepson.”

Susan gave an exaggerated sigh, shaking her head. “Don’t be like this. Ryan is family too.”

An angry man | Source: Midjourney

An angry man | Source: Midjourney

I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “Family? Peter barely knew him. You barely knew Peter.”

Her face reddened, but she didn’t deny it. “Let’s meet for coffee tomorrow and discuss it. You, Jerry, and me.”

That evening, the memory of that conversation lingered as I sat back down on Peter’s bed. I looked around his room again, my heart aching. How did we get here?

A man sitting in his late son's bedroom | Source: Midjourney

A man sitting in his late son’s bedroom | Source: Midjourney

Peter had always been mine to raise. Susan left when he was 12. She didn’t want the “responsibility,” as she’d called it. “It’s better for Peter this way,” she’d said like she was doing us both a favor.

For years, it was just me and Peter. He was my world, and I was his. I’d wake up early to make his lunch, help him with homework after school, and sit in the stands cheering at his games. Susan didn’t bother. She’d send a card for his birthday, sometimes. No gifts, just a card with her name scrawled at the bottom.

A birthday card | Source: Pexels

A birthday card | Source: Pexels

That’s what made the one summer with Susan and Jerry so hard. Peter wanted to bond with them, even if I didn’t trust it. But when he came back, he was different. Quieter. One night, I finally got him to talk.

“They don’t care about me, Dad,” he’d said softly. “Jerry said I’m not his responsibility, so I ate cereal for dinner every night.”

I clenched my fists but didn’t say anything. I didn’t want to make it worse. But I never sent him back.

A sad boy | Source: Pexels

A sad boy | Source: Pexels

Peter didn’t mind, or at least he never showed it. He loved school, and he loved dreaming about the future. “One day, Dad,” he’d say, “we’re going to Belgium. We’ll see the museums, the castles. And don’t forget the beer monks!”

“Beer monks?” I’d laugh. “You’re a little young for that, aren’t you?”

“It’s research,” he’d reply with a grin. “Yale’s going to love me.”

A happy teenage boy | Source: Pexels

A happy teenage boy | Source: Pexels

And they did. I remember the day the acceptance letter came. He opened it at the kitchen table, his hands shaking, and then he yelled so loud I thought the neighbors might call the cops. I’d never been prouder. Now, it was all gone.

That night, I barely slept, preparing for the conversation with Susan.

The next morning, I walked into the coffee shop, spotting them immediately. Susan was scrolling through her phone, looking bored. Jerry sat across from her, stirring his coffee so loudly it grated on my nerves. They didn’t even notice me at first.

A couple drinking coffee | Source: Freepik

A couple drinking coffee | Source: Freepik

I stood by their table. “Let’s get this over with.”

Susan looked up, her practiced smile snapping into place. “Oh, good. You’re here. Sit, sit.” She gestured like she was doing me a favor.

I slid into the chair across from them, saying nothing. I wanted them to speak first.

Jerry leaned back, his smug grin plastered across his face. “We appreciate you meeting us. We know this isn’t easy.”

A man in a cafe | Source: Pexels

A man in a cafe | Source: Pexels

I raised an eyebrow. “No, it’s not.”

Susan jumped in, her tone syrupy sweet. “We just think… it’s the right thing to do, you know? Peter’s fund — it’s not being used. And Ryan, well, he’s got so much potential.”

Jerry nodded, folding his arms. “College is expensive, man. You of all people should understand that. Why let that money sit there when it could actually help someone?”

A man talking to a serious woman | Source: Midjourney

A man talking to a serious woman | Source: Midjourney

“Someone?” I repeated, my voice low. “You mean your stepson?”

Susan sighed like I was being difficult. “Ryan is part of the family. Peter would have wanted to help.”

“Don’t you dare speak for Peter,” I snapped. “He barely knew Ryan. And let’s not pretend you cared about Peter either.”

Susan stiffened, her smile faltering. “That’s not fair.”

A serious woman talking to a man in a cafe | Source: Midjourney

A serious woman talking to a man in a cafe | Source: Midjourney

“No?” I leaned forward, keeping my voice steady. “Let’s talk about fair. Fair is raising a kid, showing up for them, being there when it counts. I did that for Peter. You didn’t. You sent him to me because you were too busy with your ‘new family.’ And now you think you’re entitled to his legacy?”

Jerry’s smugness cracked for a second. He recovered quickly. “Look, it’s not about entitlement. It’s about doing the right thing.”

A smiling man in a cafe | Source: Freepik

A smiling man in a cafe | Source: Freepik

“The right thing?” I laughed bitterly. “Like the summer Peter stayed with you? Remember that? Fourteen years old, and you wouldn’t even buy him dinner. You let him eat cereal while you and Susan had steak.”

Jerry’s face reddened, but he said nothing.

“That’s not true,” Susan said quickly, her voice shaky. “You’re twisting things.”

An annoyed woman in a cafe | Source: Midjourney

An annoyed woman in a cafe | Source: Midjourney

“No, I’m not,” I said sharply. “Peter told me himself. He tried to connect with you two. He wanted to believe you cared. But you didn’t.”

Jerry slammed his coffee cup onto the table. “You’re being ridiculous. Do you know how hard it is to raise a kid these days?”

“I do,” I shot back. “I raised Peter without a dime from either of you. So don’t you dare lecture me.”

An annoyed man talking to a woman | Source: Midjourney

An annoyed man talking to a woman | Source: Midjourney

The coffee shop had gone quiet. People were staring, but I didn’t care. I stood, glaring at both of them. “You don’t deserve a cent of that fund. It’s not yours. It never will be.”

Without waiting for a response, I turned and walked out.

Back home, I sat in Peter’s room again. The confrontation replayed in my mind, but it didn’t make the ache in my chest any lighter.

A man in his son's room | Source: Midjourney

A man in his son’s room | Source: Midjourney

I picked up his photo from the desk — the one of us on his birthday. “They don’t get it, buddy,” I said softly. “They never did.”

I looked around the room, taking in the books, the drawings, the little pieces of him that still felt so alive here. My eyes landed on the map of Europe tacked to his wall. Belgium was circled in bright red marker.

A map of Europe | Source: Freepik

A map of Europe | Source: Freepik

“We were supposed to go,” I whispered. “You and me. The museums, the castles, the beer monks.” I chuckled softly, my voice breaking. “You really had it all planned out.”

The ache in my chest deepened, but then something shifted. A new thought, a new resolve.

I opened my laptop and logged into the 529 Plan account. As I stared at the balance, I knew what to do. That money wasn’t for Ryan. It wasn’t for anyone else. It was for Peter. For us.

A man on his laptop | Source: Freepik

A man on his laptop | Source: Freepik

“I’m doing it,” I said aloud. “Belgium. Just like we said.”

A week later, I was on a plane, Peter’s photo tucked safely in my jacket pocket. The seat beside me was empty, but it didn’t feel that way. I gripped the armrest as the plane lifted off, my heart pounding.

“Hope you’re here with me, kid,” I whispered, glancing at his picture.

A man on a plane | Source: Freepik

A man on a plane | Source: Freepik

The trip was everything we’d dreamed of. I walked through grand museums, stood in awe at towering castles, and even visited a brewery run by monks. I imagined Peter’s excitement, crooked grin, and endless questions at every stop.

On the last night, I sat by the canal, the city lights reflecting on the water. I pulled out Peter’s photo and held it up to the view.

A man sitting by the canal | Source: Pexels

A man sitting by the canal | Source: Pexels

“This is for you,” I said quietly. “We made it.”

For the first time in months, the ache in my chest felt lighter. Peter was gone, but he was with me. And this — this was our dream. I wouldn’t let anyone take it away.

A man sitting by a canal | Source: Midjourney

A man sitting by a canal | Source: Midjourney

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