Friday, July 6, 2012

Send Them My Way



The definition of a hand me down can be defined as something someone else has worn on their back or behind.

They're already broken in with plenty of room to grow, no fading when they're washed, always fit and ready to go.

Hand me downs are riches and worth so  much more, than anything that could ever be bought new from the store.

I'm proud to say I've worn them my whole life through.Me and hand me downs go together like the grass and the morning dew.

My mama once told me even my diapers were hand me downs. I thought it was quite funny how diapers could make so many rounds.

Even my brothers wore britches of hand me downs too, handed down to the next one as fast as they out grew.

Unless they wore the knees out, which was most of the time. Mama would patch them or cut them off and make shorts for summertime.

And each year before school started, she'd buy a couple a pair, knowing fully well they'd all eventually share.

Mine was a little different, I wore hand me downs from friends. Since I was the oldest there were no hand me downs to begin.

I thought I was a queen strutting around in a new hand me down dress. To think I almost wore one for my wedding dress.

I'll never forget the time I needed a white dress bad. For eighth grade graduation I wore a hand me down dress and was so honored and glad.

And the friend that gave it, I can never forget. She gave it from her heart, I still think of her yet.

It was the most beautiful dress in the whole world. It sure did make a night full of dreams come true for a young girl.

I even tried to save it for my wedding day but the age took its toll, the old dress turned yellow and faded away.

And like that old dress all good things must come to an end, they either fade away or get passed down to someone else again.

Today my memories are still so vivid and clear, so many stories of hand me downs I could tell for a year.

And if you've got any hand me downs just send them my way. I promise I'll wear them, I'll wear them everyday.

Hand me downs are special, they don't make me feel poor. They do just the opposite, they make me feel rich a thousand ways more.

                                                     Susie Swanson, 2012




37 comments:

  1. What a sweet poem, Susie. I have worn my share of hand-me-downs in my time and so have my sons. Have a nice weekend!

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  2. I love this poem, Susie. So very sweet.

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  3. It's a shame more folks can't see the truth in your words.

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  4. I always wore hand-me-downs as a child. I can't hardly remember anything new, but I know my mother did sew us clothes. Your poem is very touching, especially about your graduation dress. I am so glad for you that it was a pretty one, even if it was given to you. What a kind understanding friend you had. Life happens doesn't it. And I think, we who have had it hard, have kinder hearts. xxxxxxx

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    1. Thank you Crystal, it was definitely a beautifu dress.. It had white overlays of Lace on it...would've been the perfect wedding dress..My mother sewed too, she sewed alot of our clothes..I just failed to mention it in this..

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  5. I LOVE USED CLOTHES I WAS JUST BLESSED WITH A BOG FULL OF BATHING SUITS SOMETHING THAT I HATE TO BUY NE FOR SEVERAL REASONS BUT THESE ARE HAND ME DOWNS WITH TAGS STILL ON THEM BUT NO COSTS TO ME. LOVED YOUR POEM AND THE UPLIFTING ATTITUDE OF SHARING :))

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    1. Thank you Janice, I know you are thrilled..I get alot of mine from Thrift Stores now...

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  6. Wonderful post most enjoyable.

    Thanks for your comment. Sorry you had to dispense with your music, Hypster had been playing up lately. I put a new template on my blog which was not compatible with Internet Explorer and many followers wasn't getting my posts. Music ok at the music but I did try to find a different one but as yet no luck.

    Yvonne.

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    1. Thank you Yvonne, That playlist was for the birds..Glad you got your blog up and running..

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  7. This was so wonderful, Susie. I remember one skirt for sure; I fell into a mud hole at school and my teacher, who lived nearby and had two little girls, gave me a skirt to wear the rest of the day, then gave it to me to keep. I still have things my cousin gave to me just a few years ago. I don't mind wearing hand-me-downs at all!

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    1. I am so glad you can relate..I had cousins that passed them down to me also..Thank you

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  8. I like hand me down clothes. Always my mama handed my sister's clothes down to me. I also got my first cousin's dresses that I loved. It just thrilled me to get a box of my cousin's clothes. They were like new to me. Even today I love it when my sister gives me her hand me down dresses. When I wear the clothes, it reminds me of her. Yes, hand me down clothes are my favorite things. This is a wonderful posting. It brought back many super memories of my childhood.

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    1. Those clothes are worth so much, nothing like them...Thanks Brenda..

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  9. I wish this poem was in a story book. I'd read it to my niece :-)

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  10. What a great poem, Susie! I agree. I love hand-me-downs, too. I've worn them my whole life and felt blessed to do so. I've also been blessed with a lot of hand-me-down fabric! That really makes me happy!

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    1. They make me happy too... I think everyone wears them nowdays..thanks..

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  11. Hi Susie! Just wanted to drop in and thank you for the note you left me the other day! I'm sorry I wasn't able to write back right away. It's been a rough week for me pain wise and I have been having to rest and take it easy the last few days. I love this post about the hand me downs! I was always so thankful for them too, and still am! I had an older cousin when I was growing up that always had all the"newest"styles. She was always shopping and the clothes she gave me were like brand new. I was always so excited when my aunt would bring a bag of hand me downs for me. We didn't have a lot of extra money during that time, and the clothes really helped me get through junior high school! :) I hope you are having a nice week so far and are able to stay cool. It has been so hot down here in Georgia. Have a nice evening Susie! With Love, Delisa :)

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    1. I'm so sorry to hear you're having such a rough time of it..I left a little note on yours..Thank you for visiting mine even when you're not able ..You are in my thoughts and prayers..

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  12. Thank God for hand me downs!!! They were life savers to us as a child ... gave us double personalities! Chuckle! You write the most wonderful stories, Susie. Just a delight.

    Hugs my precious friend ~
    TTFN ~
    Marydon

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  13. Wonderful, Susie! I've always worn hand me downs too, from my big sister or friends, and like you, felt proud and happy to have them.

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    1. There's nothing like them Connie.It's good that you had a big sister to pass them down..My sister was youner than me and I passed them down to her..

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  14. Wow!!This is what we call humbleness.God bless you!

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  15. Susie, the "hand-me-downs" in your poem must have been the ones my big family shared back in the day. I am the second of six sons, in a Wiregrass Georgia farm family.
    "Second", meant never having anything new, but being passed to the third or fourth brother also meant that love was passed along too.
    Thanks for your wisdom.
    You can find me on Facebook, email (gwnewt2010@facebook.com), and my land-line phone-706-745-8993.
    I hope we can become close friends.
    Wayne Newton
    Wayne Newton

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    1. Thank you Wayne, so good to talk with you today..Looking forward to your friendship..

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  16. Thanks DenaO, Hand me downs were very popular and still today..

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  17. Susie, Your poem hit home for me...It was very rare that I had anything new while I was growing up. Now I have so many clothes it's nuts. Smiles to you,Susie

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  18. This poem is wonderful, Susie. At first, I thought you were just telling a story until I realized that the verses rhymed. Sometimes I wore hand me downs because I had an older sister, and I would get some of her clothes. I also borrowed clothes to wear from my best friend, and we would trade off. No, there's nothing wrong with hand me downs. They brought joy at times when I really needed it. I hope you are enjoying the summer days.
    ~Sheri at Red Rose Alley

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  19. This was so wonderful, Susie! I loved hand-me-downs best of all~ I was hard on clothes growing up so my mom made me save new clothes for special occasions. I got so used to the "broke-in" feeling of hand-me-downs so much that I didn't like the new clothes at all! :)
    (By the way~ I still love them!)

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  20. Sadly I didn't have any older sisters, or cousins who could share those hand-me-downs, but oooh, how I loved to buy them at jumble sales around the village.
    Even today it's always a highlight of my trips 'home' to buy those gently used hand-me-downs.
    Love the poem, it speaks volumes ;)
    ~Jo

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  21. Just passing by and thought id say hello. Richard from the Amish settlement of Lebanon,pa

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  22. I love hand me downs. My sister wore my wedding gown that I had made, so I guess it served as a hand me down. I don't have any girls to pass it down to. Maybe some day a granddaughter will wear it.

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