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 Nov. 29 2010 at 12:02 pm
fashionlover16 SILVER, New Gloucester, Maine
5 articles 0 photos 49 comments

Favorite Quote:
I honestly don't know what my favorite personal quote is. I can tell u what i like, if u want that. I really like the twilight series. whenever my mom suggests that we should go shopping, i light up. I love shopping. well thats about it, byez!!!!! <3

ik u r soo rite, i use love everyday!! Wheter it is " i luved that moive" or "i luved that book...... NOT!" i say stuff like tht alllll the time!!! AWESOME PEICE!!!!

Mr. Nerdles said...
on Nov. 29 2010 at 9:42 am
I'm not sure what you mean by "teen love"?  Will you explain more?  I didn't feel like Kim was nonchalant about teen emotions, but just about everyones' overuse of "love."

on Nov. 29 2010 at 9:15 am
AngelikaSeton, Eatonville, Washington
0 articles 0 photos 18 comments

Favorite Quote:
if i kiss your throat, will you slice mine?-jeffree star

What if your washing your shirt? but it never seems to get clean from that person you lent it to last?

on Nov. 26 2010 at 1:23 pm
WindDancer GOLD, Lexington, Kentucky
10 articles 3 photos 77 comments

Favorite Quote:
"It's time to start living the life you've imagined"
- Henry James

"I read to escape, I write to confront."

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."

 

This article is phenomenal. Never, ever stop writing. You inspire me!


numeg123 said...
on Nov. 25 2010 at 1:23 pm
wooooow! deep, but cool and inspiring. i like it :).

nutmeg123 said...
on Nov. 25 2010 at 1:20 pm
wow!!!  you are SO right! i literally say i loved something practically every day. usually its about a book, or a movie, or food, but its so casual and nonchalant that no one really pays attention. Anyway, how old are you tat your writing such awesome stuff?! i wish i could write as great s that.

Jubilee BRONZE said...
on Nov. 16 2010 at 12:43 pm
Jubilee BRONZE, Brainerd, Minnesota
3 articles 0 photos 6 comments

Favorite Quote:
If your not in, your out.

you have that judgement on teenage love that kinda diminishes your piece for me.. but otherwise i do truly appreciate this piece. it was well thought out and basically great.

on Nov. 7 2010 at 9:34 pm
red-head BRONZE, Belmont, New York
1 article 0 photos 25 comments
hey, yea I agree with br123. The word love means different things, I mean you don't give the same love to all people after all really we never give the same type of love twice! I really liked the opinion it was well writen and I liked concept! :)  

on Nov. 7 2010 at 4:03 pm
squalur996 GOLD, Henderson, Nevada
10 articles 3 photos 43 comments

Favorite Quote:
"If death meant just leaving the stage long enough to change costume and come back as a new character....would you slow down? Or speed up?
-- Chuck Palanick

i absolutly loved this!! I try creating good analogies but they always seem so so.  great job on yours!

on Nov. 7 2010 at 11:59 am
eehearn2011 SILVER, Lake Wales, Florida
5 articles 0 photos 16 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind."-Dr. Seuss

loved this piece of work! :)

Im50tyson said...
on Oct. 29 2010 at 12:38 pm
I understand and can relate to this.

on Oct. 16 2010 at 8:36 pm
thisisascreenname BRONZE, Sugarloaf, California
4 articles 0 photos 32 comments
Wow. that was amazing, inspirational, and so true! i love this piece, and i think its my favorite so far on this site. keep up the good work.

rose said...
on Oct. 15 2010 at 2:01 pm
I think this is true. . nowadays everyone wants to be loved so they give their love to easy. .and want the same amount back. .and when they lose it they want it back but know its to late

on Oct. 14 2010 at 3:13 pm
This was amazing!! I completley agree. People give out there love to easily these days then have nothing to give to "the one." I believe that with every person you say you love, a piece of your heart goes with them. I think we need to give out our love to the ones who we truly mean it to and people we honestly deeply care about. I loved this article. good job!

on Oct. 13 2010 at 5:31 pm
Ari-hime BRONZE, Dover, Delaware
1 article 0 photos 1 comment

Favorite Quote:
"Love life and life will love you back. Love people and they will love you back."-Arthur Rubinstein

Completely amazing article! Your insights are brilliant, and I have to say that I really admire your writing style. Awesome work!

on Oct. 3 2010 at 5:24 pm
Spazzmine BRONZE, Foley, Alabama
3 articles 6 photos 44 comments

Favorite Quote:
"Some of the greater things in life are unseen thats why you close your eyes when you kiss, cry, or dream... "Anonymous.

I seriously loved this and understood it completely :) Nice job :D

rachelle said...
on Sep. 26 2010 at 6:36 pm
very good work :) i really enjoi reading this story.

WiseChild GOLD said...
on Sep. 25 2010 at 7:03 am
WiseChild GOLD, Kampala, North Carolina
14 articles 0 photos 18 comments

Favorite Quote:
i can do all things through Christ who strengthens me

I absolutely agree with you. i am probably what they'd call a 'goody two shoes' or a 'sissy' or a 'wimp' or a couple of otherr names i would never repeat. but you know, i've tried being one of the 'bad' girls. i've worn their bright colored t-shirts to find out what made them shine so much. and i realized it was all on the outside. without anyhting to fill a person, what's the use of a great looking shirt?

so i keep on beliving in a love that never dies, in a truth that never fails, in ajoy that satisfies all needs and a peace that passes all understanding. i wear my faded t-shirt. i believe in love, laughter and a purpose filled life. i have hope. maybe i look and seem like a naive, stupid, baby, but i at times, i feel like the most powerful being on earth. because i'm happy with what i have and if i died today, it wouldn't be in vain.

thank you for your article, it's encouraging to know that not every youth is shallow and ridicuculous, but some still have worthy dreams and mature thoughts.


on Sep. 24 2010 at 10:01 pm
I like how u used the t-shirt to symbolize love and its meaning. its truly an amzing piece of work :]

on Sep. 24 2010 at 3:38 pm
deus-ex-machina14 BRONZE, Stewartsville, New Jersey
1 article 0 photos 439 comments

Favorite Quote:
"There are two main tragedies in life. One is not getting what one wants, and the other is getting it." -Oscar Wilde

Such a strong and true point, and a great example to make it!!KEEP WRITING!!!