T-Shirts

We all have them: t-shirts--at least one or two, or maybe a dozen or two.  Some t-shirts come to us as gifts.  Some function as uniforms for sports teams or jobs. A few are simply souvenirs of places we've been.  Many express sentiments that reflect our interests or passions.   And one person's t-shirts, taken collectively, tell a story about their wearer. 

When I was a young child, girls didn't wear t-shirts very often.  I guess t-shirts were considered to be boys' clothes. And even boys' t-shirts were pretty mundane, just plain colored or striped.  But by the time I was a teenager, souvenir t-shirts came into fashion and, from there, the whole t-shirt industry just seemed to explode.  Now, on any given day, 95% of my students are wearing t-shirts.  (For boys, the percentage is even higher.)  T-shirts and jeans have become the universal school uniform for kids of all ages, and the clothing of choice for many adults, too.

Not too many years ago, Bill had so many old souvenir t-shirts that Meagan made them into a quilt for him.  Now, he can look at the t-shirts in the quilt when he wants to remember the story of his adult life during the twentieth century. 

I have a good assortment of t-shirts of my own.  A few of them are pictured above.

At least fifteen years ago, I bought the one with the lizards and spiders from one of my older daughters (I don't remember which one) who was selling it to raise money for something at school.  The creepy crawlers on the back always seem appropriate for working in the garden or at the ranch.

I also bought the one in the middle, the one with Dr. Seuss characters parading across the front, to wear at school for Dr. Seuss' birthday in early March.  But I like it so well that I wear it at other times, too.

The fishing t-shirt is a souvenir from a family reunion at the now-defunct Diamond Guest Ranch near Chugwater, in Wyoming.  It's a little hard to read in the photo, but it says "Jesus said, 'Go fishing.'  (Luke 5: 4)  He said NOTHING about fixing the sink, mowing the lawn, walking the dog, painting the trim, washing the car, cleaning the garage, or weeding the garden."  I wear it on those days when I'm feeling a little defiant about all of the work I have to do at home.  I can laugh at the irony, and go about the necessary business at hand, remembering what Jesus really meant when he told his disciples to "go fishing."

Bill brought me the bright yellow dragon shirt from one of his trips to China.  It, too, is an at-home work shirt.  It has a few bleach-induced holes in the front, but it hasn't yet outlived its usefulness.  I love the dragon, but the bright yellow color, not so much.  Maybe I can talk Bill into buying me a new one, in a less-shocking color, on his next trip.

The Foxy Grandma shirt is a gift from a friend, given soon after Toby was born.  The first time I wore it, Victoria and I had quite a conversation about its meaning.  Now, I wear it at home just to aggravate her.

So, you see, even my t-shirts tell a lot about me.  Have you checked your drawers lately to see what story your t-shirts can tell?