Putting on a Hug

/ rothpoetry

Our disposable society has a lot of downside and excess baggage that comes with it. I believe we lose so much these days because we are too quick to discard what we once held dear. Whether it be friends or family or spouse, everything these days is dispensable. Commitment and vows seem to be archaic confinements in this generation. We seem to forget that in relationships we will have differences; things that may hurt deeply, but forgiveness is always a part of life. Without forgiveness, we will go on repeating our same mistakes and adding more and more baggage to our life’s load.

She tells me it’s time to throw it out

Faded and worn // button missing

But to me it is something special

A security blanket of sorts

Putting on this old shirt is like

putting on a hug

*

Just like a long-time friend

with all our quirks and flaws

We are something special

A security blanket of sorts

Having you as a friend is like

putting on a hug

*

Photo: Dwight L. Roth

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65 thoughts on “Putting on a Hug”

  3. Aw, this brought tears to my eyes. 🙂 Such truth and so heart-touching, Dwight! We can all relate!
    You know I’m all about hugs, so I love your poem! You are so right about well-seasoned shirts AND friends! 🙂
    I hope you get to keep your shirt! Quick, go hide it! 😉 😛
    HUGS!!! 🙂

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  4. Wise words, Dwight. Being comfortable in a shirt, like being comfortable with a friend, takes time. Why would anyone be quick to throw it away? Time lost can never be replaced, at least not in this lifetime.

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  6. I had to smile when I read this poem. It reminded me of my younger son who refused to let me throw out a favorite worn shirt of his adolescent days. He didn’t describe it as “putting on a hug,” but I can understand his feeling much better now 🙂

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    • Yes, exactly! I came up this this in a passing comment this morning! It struck me as a great line , so I sat down and created the first verse… later came back and added the parallel verse.
      Thank you so much for reading and commenting.

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  9. Somehow maybe it’s a result of shallow relationships that build up nowadays. Social networks are replacing real life touchpoints, a like on social media even from an unknown person starts getting so important, to the point where friends and likes have become just numbers. Just about anyone becomes a friend, just by requesting 🙂. In real life friends don’t happen so easily, I remember at least two friends of mine whom I despised the first few days because they were so outspoken, brash and so different from my train of thoughts. Till I started seeing more into their minds and found traits which I liked more, and then slowly their loud words also started looking funny, and now they are both my best buddies. Kind of like a new shirt isn’t it, crisp with tags and stitches inside which might cause inconveniences the first few days till we keep wearing them and our bodies and the shirts both adapt to each other and become so comfortable with each other that it becomes difficult to discard it even when it’s old and worn out, we build that personal rapport with that shirt. I have many of those and my wife has a hard time convincing me to let go every time ☺️

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    • Your wonderful response is so on target with what I was hoping to convey! Yes, the blog has become my friend circle during this time of covid. And you are right in that making real friends takes work and connection. Thank you so much, Deb, for you very insightful comment on this simple poem! I am glad you found a way to stay connected with our friends even though you are very different personalities!
      Dwight

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  20. This is such a beautiful message, Dwight! It can be easy to call it quits when times get hard, but if you push on through the hard times you can build a beautiful lifetime friendship like the one you describe.

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  22. Oh Dwight, you old devil, you touched on some very tender stressors. Remember when appliances lasted 25 years, when televisions could be fixed with new tubes bought at the hardware store, where made in the USA meant something? Disposable indeed.

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    • Ha Ha! Thanks Glenn, I am glad this one tickled a nerve!! Yes I do remember all of that and more. And after the depression our parents saved every little thing from used tin foil, to cans, jars, rubber bands, and plastic bags! Those were the days.

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