Giving thanks for hand-me-downs

I consider myself very blessed to own abundant, diverse clothing. The reason I have so many items is that about 60 per cent of them are hand-me-downs.

Many of my scarves, blouses, pants and even jewelry were once owned by someone else. I have embraced second-hand materials from my mother, sister, aunts, friends, even grandparents and cousins.

You might be wondering what clothing has to do with faith. Shouldn’t we as Christians be discouraging materialism? Just recently Pope Francis warned of the dangers of materialism. But in light of Thanksgiving weekend, perhaps we should include our material blessings on our list of graces.

Sharing clothes might seem like an odd way to connect with someone, but Verily Magazine’s article “Friendship: Reflections from the Wardrobe” puts things into perspective. Maria Bonvissuto explains that some people share clothes to build intimacy among friends. “By lending clothes to my friends, I share my unique style with them. Borrowing their clothes, I learn a little more about what they consider beautiful. Swapping outfits, in a way, has helped me cultivate generosity.”

Clothing swaps started off as necessity in my large extended family. It was something that just happened in order to save money. But over time, it evolved into something intentional, almost like a community bonding event. Each item has a memory, an event, a moment, a story attached to it. That wasn’t just a pair of red shoes, they were the ones that walked the streets of Dublin during the Eucharistic Congress, getting soaked in the rain and not falling apart.

It isn’t just about the clothing itself, it’s about the gift attached to it, the history that lends itself to the object we are sharing. When we lend our special things to our loved ones, we are allowing them to take a piece of ourselves with them. When we receive a gift, we are reminded of that person, that experience, that story.

If what we believe is true, and nothing is truly ours in this life, then lending out books, swapping clothes, sharing homes and even asking for a cup of sugar from our neighbour are all lessons in humility, connection and grace. We shouldn’t underestimate this simple tool for imitating Jesus’ generosity.

God does lend out spiritual graces, but we must not forget to thank Him for the physical reminders of His providence as well: a bed to sleep in, a stove to cook on, a mat to welcome someone in, even a sweater that the personality of my friend Jacqueline all over it.

I thank the Lord for all of His blessings, especially the borrowed materials.