Falling Back in Love
It’s almost inescapable, “the next great thing!” A bright new color option, an added pocket, altered hemline for comfort. Companies are constantly coming up with changes to our favorite products to make it that much better, brighter, and to become our next purchase whether we need it or not.
A year or so ago, I was drawn to the wall of backpacks at a local gear store that I love. I saw the brightly colored day-packs and thought about how much more confident I might be on hikes if I had a new backpack. The brands we wear and the quality of our clothes have long been a sign of status in our world. But what if instead of getting caught up in the rush of the fresh, we fell back in love with the gear we already have?
As I stood there standing at all the pretty packs that had more pockets and were more adjustable than my current day-pack, I was reminded of something that an old friend had told me. As we were scrambling up a butte in Moab, he made a comment that he didn’t care that his shoes had holes in them because it meant that those shoes had taken him places. They held the memories of the adventures he had had, the people he loved who he shared those adventures with, and the beauty of those places. Remembering what my friend had said made me realize how much of a gift my worn-down backpack is. The holes that I sewed up from when it went sliding down a hill faster than I could chase after it. The color of the outer layer is completely different from when I purchased it because of the many hours spent in the sun teaching young naturalists at summer camp. The just-in-case spare banana that got squashed at the bottom of the pack and the blob stain it left.
My worn-down old pack tells the story of the life that I have lived. It reminds me of the people, places, and things that I love. So I walked away from the wall of shiny new packs and went home to the one waiting for me at home. One day my pink pack will be past its prime and I will need to find a new one for new adventures. But until it is beyond repair, I will continue to love it like I did when I took it in the first adventure. I will embrace all the signs of its age not as damage but as the evidence of a life well-lived and all the things I love that have filled this life.
This February as we celebrate love in its many forms, I encourage you to take a minute to love the wear and tear of your own gear. Patch them up and embrace the memories that they carry. Fall in love with the gear that was once shiny and new and love it anew.
Have anything that needs a repair? Send us an email at Jankygear@gmail.com with photos and our repair specialist, Megan, can help you out!