There are things we feel connected to for absolutely zero reason. I realize that may sound a bit hyperbolic as we have reasons for everything whether we are conscious of them or not. And I suppose that is my point. We subconsciously attach ourselves to things and those things become important to us in a strange and unique way.
Allow me to explain.
Jason and India*, some dear friends of mine and Drews, are moving away from LA, which is a beautiful but tragic thing. At this very moment (literally as I type this post) Drew is road tripping across the South with them. Eventually they will end up in their new home town of New Orleans (I can't lie, I am a bit jealous!) and make a new and wonderful life there.
While I was home over break Jason and India had a moving sale and as I am one for early mornings (sadly) Drew and I woke up not long after dawn and brought them coffee and pastries to keep their energies up on such an occasion. As we stood chatting I helped India get all of their old belongings set up to be sold to strangers... a very strange feeling. There are the usual suspects of old furniture, clothes, board games, and the unused wedding gifts propped around the driveway. While I was hanging jackets and sweaters, trousers and halloween costumes, I spotted a solitary gray t-shirt strung up on the line. At first I didn't think anything of it, but as I continued to hang slightly worn and semi-beloved items, I continued to notice this shirt... there was something about it.
After we got everything set up we sipped our coffees and chatted in the shade while neighbors and passers by browsed the selection of odds and ends strewn about the drive; all the while the gray shirt hung in my eye line. After a while I couldn't take it any more, I reached over and pulled it away from the mass of dresses and jackets it was tucked securely between.
"That is my favorite t-shirt!" India exclaimed. "It is so soft and comfortable and wonderful! My aunt gave it to me years ago."
"Why don't you keep it?!" I asked.
"I have so many t-shirts, TOO many t-shirts." she sighed.
"You should keep it! It obviously means something to you, keep it!" my packrat side replied as I hung the tee back on the line.
We stood talking, the morning passing us by, melting in the heat of the mid summers day. Maybe it was the heat, maybe it was slow sleepy pace of the morning luring me into a daze... but for whatever reason I felt myself slip into an attachment with the shirt. It was strange... but I felt like I needed it.
"India." I said.
"Yeah?"
"I can't explain it... but if you aren't going to keep that shirt... I kind of feel like I need it... keep it in the family you know? It would feel weird for a stranger to have it... I don't know why. I can't really explain it, I just feel it."
"NO! I love that!" She exclaimed, "I would so much rather you have it than some random person."
And that settled it. I snatched the gray shirt from the line and took it home with me and then, immediately, out on the road. I can't lie, it really is ridiculously comfortable... but also it has something more to it. A magic, a juju, a feeling... It reminds me of a friend I love, of her spirit and beauty; which makes me love the shirt all the more.
What are you connected to? What do you find yourself drawn to? I would love to know.
xx
*P.s. how good is my friends name?! India! I love it and it suites her perfectly as well, which makes it even better.
