Building and Mending

The Cowboy has better than a hundred western shirts. That's not an exaggeration, says me, who gets to iron many of them every other week or so, along with a goodly amount of my own shirts. Fortunately, after dozens of washings the shirts no longer need ironing. They become soft and comfy. But sadly, they are also wearing out.

Dust, sweat, sun, "neck whiskers," multiple washings, and the aforementioned ironings do a number on shirt collars. 

I asked the ladies at my quilting group if they could teach me how to "turn" these worn out collars. They got the "deer caught in the headlights" look. Actually, it was more than that. They had a collective look of terror. I said I know it can be done, because my mom used to fix the collars on my dad's work shirts, getting a few more months of wear out of them.

One of the ladies said she'd rather sew a whole shirt from scratch.

Well, so would I. Honestly. Even if the worn out shirts are The Cowboy's favourites.

It reminds me of a motto we'd recite at church years and years ago.

It is better to build than to mend.

Not that a spanking, new shirt won't eventually succumb to worn cuffs and collars. It will. But mending is Just. Not. Fun. Whether it's patching up a pair of snagged-on-barbed-wire jeans or restoring a broken relationship, setting things right is often unpleasant.

Everyday activity at the ranch -- Mending fences.  Livestock, wildlife, and Men Driving Equipment have a way of taking down fences.

And somehow, things are never quite the same after things are pieced together and patched up. That fence is weakened. The turned and mended collar is still thin and worn on the backside. The broken relationship may still be vulnerable, all because of something said foolishly or in haste.

What breaks in a moment may take years to mend. -- Swedish Proverb

Wearing out and breaking down may be inevitable. But we can still take care to build well in the first place. Use good wire and posts. Good quality shirts last longer in the long run. Build relationships based on trust and respect.

As for the shirts with the worn collars, there will be no "after" photos.
The Cowboy said, "Cut 'em up into grease rags."
Somehow, that seems like a dismal requiem for those faithful, old shirts.
The ladies said, "Cut them up and make a quilt."

Maybe building something completely new is the best way to mend.