My Favorite Shirt | Teen Ink

My Favorite Shirt MAG

January 19, 2008
By Anonymous

Love. It’s a simple but overused word. I love you. I love this song! I absolutely loved that movie! The word doesn’t mean much anymore, not to most. Some people scoff at it. We throw it around like a used shirt, wearing it because it’s comfortable, safe, and secure, but never truly understanding why we have it. We lend it out, forget about it, and years later, we think, “Hey, I really liked that shirt.”

But do we care? No. It’s probably gone now, thrown away because of a rip or sold for $3 at a garage sale. We forget; it doesn’t matter after that.

Then we see the world fall apart. From the safety of our living rooms we watch amateur video on the news or Internet, and sometimes we feel so helpless and alone we’re not sure what to do. We cry for the inhumanity, scream for the injustice, and wonder why the world is this way. We think we can change the world; we know we want to help those who need it most … then we remember that T-shirt we threw out years ago.

We want it back; we fight and scramble for it. We go out and buy new shirts, try them on, but none seems to fit. We’ve lost it – we’ve lost love. We are unnerved for a bit; we sit alone and beat ourselves up for letting it go. Then we just we shrug it off. We say, “I’ll do it later” or “I’m too busy.” I’m guilty of it too: “I don’t have the right resources” or “I’m too young” or “No one will care.” And it seems as if no one does. With high school students only bent on the next party or who’s dating whom, you wonder if, in the end, their shirts were ever worn.

Is my generation going to save the world? We try, a small group of us, but our shirts are faded among the bright colors of greed and the everyday and the wanting. We are pushed into the background. We try to push our way through the crowds, and we truly wonder: where has the love gone?

I don’t want my love to fade; though my shirt is tattered and worn, I wear it daily. I am honest and open, and when I say that simple, dead, four-letter word, I mean it. I know I’ve made mistakes with it in the past and I almost threw my shirt away; I carry it carefully now. It’s close to my heart, where it’s meant to be. I do lend it out every once in a while – I let those who need it try it on and feel the safety that I feel. I leave them pieces when I go, but my shirt never seems to tear. It stays just as simple as it ever was.

When the time comes, I will stand alone in this world and stare into the eyes of those with the shirts of greed and want and lust, and I will know that even though mine is not the most beautiful shirt in the crowd, it’s among the best.



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This article has 258 comments.


on Jun. 28 2010 at 4:32 pm
IamtheshyStargirl PLATINUM, Lothlorien, Utah
44 articles 16 photos 2206 comments

Favorite Quote:
Boredom instigates extreme creativity.
~Amoniel

"Bowing gratefully to all of my subjects, 'thank you. Thank you. The pleasure is mine." Nah, I'm just kidding. We're all kings together.'"
~Thesilentraven

Beautiful. Now I fell all weepy and strong.

on Jun. 28 2010 at 3:02 pm
AbstractArtist101 SILVER, Cedar Grove, New Jersey
6 articles 1 photo 9 comments

Favorite Quote:
"You can make a thousand guesses about what will happen next, but in reality, there's only one outcome."
-Myself

I'm dead serious, that was amazing!

on Jun. 28 2010 at 8:00 am
RockinEmerald SILVER, Imlay City, Michigan
9 articles 2 photos 31 comments

Favorite Quote:
Don't give up.

It's amazing. A wonderful story.

on Jun. 28 2010 at 2:26 am
K9_Typical_Islander SILVER, Koror, Other
7 articles 0 photos 47 comments

Favorite Quote:
Hours of boredom followed by moments of excitement (and adrenaline)- that's fishing

Congrats on making your article published on Teen Ink Magazine! People need to read articles like this one to catch themselves being caught up in materials and greed and reflect on their lives. Great Job!

on Jun. 16 2010 at 11:53 am
I just LOVE the way you used the t-shirt in that kind of situation. I am looking forward to reading more from you!

maci. SILVER said...
on Jun. 14 2010 at 3:32 pm
maci. SILVER, Chickasha, Oklahoma
5 articles 0 photos 6 comments

Favorite Quote:
Never let the fear of striking out, keep you from playing the game.

this is an amazing article, I like the way you used the tshirt, very original, great job!

on Jun. 9 2010 at 9:04 am
Wow. this is amazing!!

Adaya BRONZE said...
on Jun. 7 2010 at 9:31 pm
Adaya BRONZE, Traverse City, Michigan
2 articles 6 photos 20 comments

Favorite Quote:
" writing is a struggle against reality while photography is a struggle against the silence. "

This is beyond beautiful, the comparison is amazing and the words scream emotion. fantastic. keep writing, you have amazing skill. 

aivilo SILVER said...
on Jun. 6 2010 at 7:42 pm
aivilo SILVER, Circleville, Ohio
9 articles 0 photos 22 comments
AWESOME!!!!!!

nycbunny said...
on May. 28 2010 at 4:02 pm
nycbunny, New York, New York
0 articles 1 photo 2 comments
i REALLY like this.....

Miara GOLD said...
on May. 25 2010 at 9:06 pm
Miara GOLD, Ottumwa, Iowa
16 articles 0 photos 30 comments

Favorite Quote:
Not all treasure is silver and gold, mate.
Dying is a day worth living for.
The problem with being the last of anything is by and by there be none left.

I agree love is over used.  That's why in other languages there are more than one word for love.

darkvisions said...
on May. 25 2010 at 4:16 pm
darkvisions, White Plains, New York
0 articles 0 photos 21 comments
Fantastic. Great use of symbolism.

on May. 15 2010 at 6:04 pm
starlight26 GOLD, Miramar, Florida
11 articles 7 photos 174 comments

Favorite Quote:
*life isnt about pretending to be something you're not. It about being who you are and finding someone
who loves every bit of it."

"Life's tradegy is that we get old too soon and wise too late"

Oh, I also liked how you used love as a shirt. It was put together perfectly.

on May. 15 2010 at 6:03 pm
starlight26 GOLD, Miramar, Florida
11 articles 7 photos 174 comments

Favorite Quote:
*life isnt about pretending to be something you're not. It about being who you are and finding someone
who loves every bit of it."

"Life's tradegy is that we get old too soon and wise too late"

This was truly inspirational, beautiful and true. Amazing., incredible! This article sent the message that needs to be told to everyone. I can really relate to it. You have a great talent. I'm sure you could write wonderful books. I truly "loved" it. Keep writing. And I'll keep reading :) Check out some of my work if u can!!

on May. 15 2010 at 11:59 am
she-is-a-witch, Towson, Maryland
0 articles 0 photos 33 comments

This was a great piece.  I was going to say I love it, but you're right about it being overused :)

I really liked the symbolism in it. 


on May. 15 2010 at 11:11 am
MissPiglette BRONZE, QC, Other
1 article 0 photos 13 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Don't forget to breathe."

This is true. I like the way you ended it. :)

on May. 15 2010 at 8:33 am
swim4ever SILVER, Carol Stream, Illinois
9 articles 0 photos 60 comments

Favorite Quote:
"you can throw in the towel or you can use it to wipe the sweat off your face"
"no one ever drown in their own sweat"

I like this story so much it has so much meaning to me thanks for writing

on May. 13 2010 at 8:46 am
babigerl1194 PLATINUM, Margaretville, New York
23 articles 10 photos 155 comments

Favorite Quote:
wat doesnt kill you only makes you stronger

i reaally loved the metaphore you have going here most of my works have alot of htem you hsould chec tehm out. so this especially appealed to me. LOVED IT <3

on May. 11 2010 at 6:59 pm
treegirl93 BRONZE, San Antonio, Texas
1 article 0 photos 37 comments

Favorite Quote:
Be nice to trees- they'll become books someday.

We will stand together when the time comes or right now against the evils of the world because pure love of humanity will overcome all! I believe it is so!

on May. 1 2010 at 2:31 pm
Star_In_The_Sky BRONZE, Isabela, Other
4 articles 0 photos 12 comments
I want to keep my shirt too. =]