I'm kind of stealing this idea from "from the ashes", but I really was thinking about blogging about this before. Even though I already posted today, I figured I better get this down while I'm thinking about it.
Garments. I wore them faithfully for 7 years, with the exception of swimming, bathing, sex, etc. Looking back, I admit to looking down on others when it was obvious they weren't wearing their G's, when I knew they should. Blech, I hate thinking about that.
It was just after my 7th wedding anniversary that I had my epiphany about the church, and my husband soon followed. I live and work among many church goers, so I kept wearing my garments to keep up with appearances for a couple of months. One night I was working late, and found out that there were U2 tickets available for a concert in Anaheim the next week. Very spur of the moment, I called and got the OK from my husband, bought the tickets, booked the flight and hotel, and made babysitting arrangements.
Several things went wrong this weekend. Our bus driver couldn't find out hotel, so he dropped us off at a random location and pointed us in the wrong direction, and we had to walk forever with our bags. We ate at the worst restaurant and ordered our very first alcoholic beverages (even though I was in California, I still looked around to see if anyone noticed). The drinks were terrible. The food was terrible. To give you an idea how bad-- my lunch came with with a basket of rolls, which were nothing more than toasted hamburger buns. We had no transportation (other the the busses to/from the airport) and had to walk everywhere we went.
When we were getting ready to go to the concert, I decided that my shirt would probably look better if I didn't have bulky garments on underneath, so on the floor they went. I felt naughty, but in a very good way. During the performance of "Beautiful Day", there was a moment after Bono sang "After the flood, all the colors came out...." and the entire arena was lit up with different colored lights. I stood there feeling the most euphoric I've ever felt, not being medicated. That moment was more spiritual than any time I had ever been to the temple or sat in sacrament meeting. In that moment, my entire world and outlook shifted. The next day my husband and I talked about it, and he had the same feelings at the same time. It was unreal, and we just knew that from that moment forward, everything was headed up.
We spent the next day at Disney and flew home that night. We were exhausted, but excited about life. To top off our weekend of sin, my hubsand got his first ever Starbucks at the airport.
A year and a half later, the garments have completely disappeared from our household. I considered keeping one pair just to remember, but decided it wasn't worth it. We've had a lot more alcoholic beverages. We've consumed gallons of coffee. We saw U2 two more times in 2005. Things have never been better.
But most importantly, the garments are GONE.
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12 comments:
I'm sure I speak for everyone here when I say, ditching the garments was a good, good thing.
I can't fit into the damn things anymore. IIRC, had a 34' waistline last time I bought G's; now I'm a 38'. But I've lost 20 pounds this year, so I suppose there's still a theoretical possibility for those old garments, if I haven't thrown them away. It's been so long I can't remember.
I think you look sexier without them too. And how fun is bra/panty shopping? I don't think it could get funner.
La- bra and panty shopping is pure heaven for me. And Jer doesn't care how much I spend when I shop, because I have years of non shopping to make up for. :)
Helllloooo, bra and panty shopping holds almost the same trauma for me that swimsuit shopping does. Now where'd I put that sandpaper for my eyeballs??? And I never wore garments. Sigh.
really, SML? Swimsuit shopping I can understand. When you wear a swimsuit, generally you're putting yourself out there for everyone to see. But bra and panties aren't usually seen by a large number of people. Here's my challenge to you for the next week: Go shopping, and buy a really sexy bra and some panties. When you wear them under your clothes, think to yourself how sexy you are. I promise, it could change your entire demeanor.
I only wore mine 'full-time' for about three years, and then started ditching them, or one piece at a time, as often as possible. Then, the day I just got rid of them altogether (cue Hallelujah chorus) was a Very Good Day. Ahhhh...
I still have some...
What are you guys looking at?
(hee)
Christy, I have sexy undies, I just HATE shopping for them. Could be looking at my bod (in its current not so firm state) in the full length mirror is depressing.
I've got to join a gym soon. Take action, so I can quit talking about it and DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT for a change.
AzEx- You made me giggle. Yes, it is very childish for a church to control people down to the underwear that they wear everyday.
Wry- I'm amazed that you wore them full time for even three years! When you see Bel next month, will you take her underwear shopping? Pleeeeease?
SML- I do know what you mean, those mirrors and the lighting is so very daunting.
Yep. Garments suck. When I was getting ready for my mission the one thing I dreaded most was going to the temple because I'd have to give up my favorite attire: shorts and no shirt. Little did I know that that was the least freaky thing of the temple. It was wierd giving up garments after 20+ years, but I never liked them and don't miss them.
Amen! As I (we!) just wrote on your Victoria's Secret blog, the garmies are finally leaving our lives for good. Glory!
I ditched mine a year ago, of course, and only kept them on for the 2 or 3 years preceding that out of sensitivity to my wife. When I threw them away, I thought to myself, how could I do it so as to least dignify the church?
I decided that, instead of shredding them, burning them (which the church actually requires for the symbol parts of them when you throw them away, after all), wrapping them around our doormat, hanging them out our windows, etc., that simply throwing them away like so much trash denies the church the thing it wants most of all -- attention. Not as dramatic or cathartic, I'm following the line of reasoning that people use when they say, "I'm not going to dignify him with a response."
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