hol(e)y socks!

i have a favorite pair of socks that i've been thinking about (a lot) lately. they weren't a gift from anyone, and in fact, i can barely remember where i got them and when exactly. so it isn't the genesis that gets me. i suppose it's just that they've been with me a long, long time (perhaps 7-8 years) and continue to look just as beautiful as they did when they first came into my life. except that they have holes now :(. and the holes are pretty big. like this big:

several thought processes have found root in these holes. at first, there was resistance. i couldn't care less whether they were holey or not. they'd been through life with me - loyally and lovingly. how could i not wear them just 'cos they were holey? and what's the big deal about holes anyway, i thought. does it really matter, in the larger scheme of things, whether socks have holes or not? and then - what if my clothes had holes? why do i need clothes without holes? why do i need clothes that look good? for whom? for people who care? do i care about those who care? oh dear... we know where that strain goes.

i have been there. and there. and there. and now i am here: they're socks. i loved them. i wore them with joy, indeed every single time. but they've lived their life. and what better life to have led than a life of love, of appreciation? time it is (yes, was) to part. gracefully, and with dignity. indeed, 'tis better late than never...

to let go.