Worn and Torn

So, I've packed and unpacked in the last couple days, and whenever I do that, I purge some of my stuff. I often feel I have excess stuff, and I hate the lack of simplicity in my life sometimes. So, as I packed and unpacked my clothes, I evaluated some of my stuff and determined which items were "keepers". Now, since I've also been working on my denim quilt this last month, I've been really thinking about jeans. Now, I, admittedly don't own the styles of jeans I would like to own, but I find that interesting in and of itself. I mean, I love that denim goes with everything. I believe denim to be like sweet corn in that it's so versatile and can be a part of every day. Yet, everyone does have their own taste in denim -- preferences for particular washes or cuts or brands or detailing or whatever (If you ever want to hear about the crazy facts I learned about distressed jeans over break, please let me know.). Anyway, I feel like there are some parallels that can be observed between denim and relationships. For instance, relationships are a part of every day of our lives, and we all have different types of relationships, and relate to people differently. Don't worry, I know that's a bit weak, but it's not my main thought; so, I'm just throwing it out there because it popped up in the ol' noggin'. Seriously, though, I think about new jeans. They fit exactly how you want them to, and the wash is perfect. I don't know about everyone else, I guess, but I know when I have new jeans, I have a tendency to wear them only when I want to look my absolute best. I don't want to get them too dirty. I don't want to be too rough on them. I treasure the dark blue of them. That's kind of like new relationships. New relationships are often coddled. You don't want to test them too much, for fear they will be ruined. It's funny because denim is generally thought of as durable, and a quality relationship should be durable, too, but when they're new, both are treated as precious and fragile. As I've owned jeans longer, though, I wear them for whatever and whenever. I stop worrying about grass stains or rips or whatever. Which brings up my thoughts on getting rid of a pair of jeans. Different people have different criteria, and as I think about my relationships, I wonder how much of that carries over into the way we evaluate relationships. I mean, some people get rid of jeans when the style or wash goes out of style. Some people wait until there is a significant rip. Some wait for a rip that is significant and poorly placed. Some people wait until the jeans don't fit or literally fall apart. It just makes me wonder: in this largely disposable society, do we treat our friendships the same way? Are old friends the comfortable pair of jeans that hold memories and stains from past adventures? Or should old friends be pitched when the trend changes?