Shelf Life

I have a letter jacket from high school. On it are the various patches representing my high school music career. My name is also featured, as well as the numbers "07," my graduation year.

Recently, I had started contemplating having the jacket cleaned and preserved, possibly to be put on display with other memorabilia in my home. I hadn't given much thought to wearing it again. 

I was taking my kids out this evening, but before I could put on my Colts jacket, my daughter came to me and said, "here, Daddy! Wear this one!" In her little arms, she held my letter jacket. Now, I'm no softy, but I couldn't turn that girl down tonight.

It makes me wonder - what's the shelf life of memories? Should we really put away things like that with so much connection to the good times? Yes, I know it's just a jacket, but that jacket reminds me of good times with good friends. It reminds me of my musically obsessed roots. It also reminds me of the early days of dating my wife. She looked so good in that jacket!

I know some day, I will probably have to store it for one reason or another. But thanks to my daughter, that day is not today.


Thanks for the memories.


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