"One of these things is not like the others,
One of these things just doesn't belong,
Can you tell which thing is not like the others
By the time I finish my song? "
Can you tell which thing is not like the others
By the time I finish my song? "
(One of These Things [Is Not Like The Others], words and music by Joe Raposo and Jon Stone)
Is this just wrong? ...
I was throwing out some more Mormon bits and pieces that I still have lying around when I came across my temple clothing. The green, leafy skirt/apron was just too pretty for me to throw away.
Then I thought -
"Well the kids won't know what it is and it would make a great dress-up item. Of course the veil could come in very handy too and while we're at it those soft, white slippers are fairly 'normal' looking... and that plain white sash is very non-threatening. Hmmm, I think I'll draw the line at the pleated robe though.......... however it could make a great Halloween costume!"
(End Note: There is no need to tell me how sacred these clothes are to you. I lost my respect for all things temple long ago.)
I still have mine, in a dusty old suitcase. I haven't decided what to do with them yet.
ReplyDeleteFor now, I'm keeping them. Every once in a while, I'll pull them out and remind myself that, yes, I too can believe weird things. Call it hubris insurance.
I think that's a great idea using them as a halloween costume! Scare the shit out of me!
ReplyDeleteI'd love to see the looks on peoples faces if someone donned the outfit in Utah for that spookiest of nights!!
ReplyDeletemormons ARE appreciative of practicality...i think it's a great idea (not that my opinion matters but that rarely stops me). have fun with dress up!
ReplyDeleteIn Utah, that would not go over very well at all. Too many people would recognize the clothing and get very offended. I still have mine in a box in the closet.
ReplyDeleteMine are still in the garment bag under the bed...my great grandmother made the apron so that one is pretty special just for that, but not for anything else. It's really pretty! I remember thinking when I did go to the temple how much I hoped everyone looked at how pretty my apron was!!! he he.
ReplyDeleteI say way to be frugal!
Yep, mine are on a shelf in the closet, but we will be doing a thorough house de-cluttering very soon because we are getting new flooring, so I think this is some "clutter" that really needs to go. Maybe I'll donate them to the Deseret Industries.
ReplyDeleteSo far no-one has ditched their apparel. I noted several possible reasons in there - practicality, frugality, hubris insurance, and 'haven't gotten around to it yet'.
ReplyDeleteA recent post at fMh talked about maintaining your mormon cultural heritage whilst removing yourself from the religion. Maybe the temple clothes are a little tougher to throw away because a.) a really lovely great-grandmother made them for us b.) we do actually want to remember some of the things from our mormon heritage.
I think I'll work on a post about the things I do want to keep and remember from my days as a Mormon.
and Bowie.. definitely too raw for Utah (or anywhere really), I was only joking, I'll save my irreverence for the internet. Have you seen 'Nick the White Mormon' around temple square?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INCdWypQghY
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ReplyDeleteThey would have made good dress up cloths... Too late now. I had a big bon fire a few months ago.
ReplyDeleteAh the bonfire, we kept talking about doing that but never sorted ourselves out and I REALLY wanted some stuff gone so I just threw it in the bin. I'll bet the bonfire felt great eh! nice to 'meet' you Reina.
ReplyDeleteanonymous here
ReplyDeleteWell, it would appear that I am the only one to actually get rid of everything! I had a whole heap of brand-new garments (still in their packets) from the last time I really, really tried to embrace all things Mormon, as well as my original robes from when I got married. I have a friend who is really active, and I kept telling her that I wanted to give them to her to pass on to someone who could use them. She seemed to keep fobbing me off (presumably in the hopes that I would come back to the fold.) The breaking point was some really, truly, weird-as "revelation" that my ex-husband had and that broke my ties with Mormonism completely. So I told my friend that I was getting rid of them at the end of the week - trash can or she could take them, I didn't care. She took them. I just could no longer stand to have them in the house. Although there were mixed feelings, they were more to do with the hopes of a teenage girl, believing that she was following God and marrying her one-true-love for time and all eternity. Really sad to reflect on, and it felt as though passing them on was a final acknowledgement that it was all nonsense and for nothing. Especially when I think of all the time, effort and money I've given to that cult it is a little upsetting.
Anyway, I was glad to be rid of everything and it really was a good feeling. You should all try it!
I am guessing since we are supposed to burn the garments when we are ready to get rid of them, perhaps everything should be burned... all of the temple attire. I cant' say how much better I feel now that I'm no longer wearing them.
ReplyDeleteIt is such a phenomenal feeling of relief, weightlessness, freedom etc, etc. I really struggled w/ them for the whole 10 years that I wore them. I wore them religiously (haha) until I first became pregnant, then the nausea and the heat of the Australian summer (and my big belly) were just too much, I didn't even bother trying the maternity garments I just stopped wearing them. I felt guilty but I also tried to convince myself that I deserved a break. Once the baby was born I started wearing the garments again. Then next baby, I took them off sooner, much more ready to believe that I deserved some comfort in my afflicted state ;) ... Then on they went again post-birth.
ReplyDeleteEvery summer I would whinge and complain and have adult tantrums about the stupid things. I really did hate them. I hated the restrictive nature of them, both physically and psychologically. Why would god want me to do this? Surely I could make my own decisions about how to dress? It really pissed me off and certainly strained my relationship w/my Mormon god.
When I finally found my way out of that place (shudder) I think I would say the same as you, I just felt an indescribably positive change come over me. I was free, in so many ways. I started to make decisions about how I actually like to dress. I also realised a great satisfaction from being able to express myself through the way I dressed. I also started to notice this aspect in other areas of my life, I was beginning to consider my own preferences, likes, dislikes, interests, passions... opinions. I had not been aware of just how repressed those parts of me had been. It is really something looking back, now more than a year on, and seeing how far I have come.
Enjoy the journey 'anonymous-feeling much better now' ... It's great to 'see' you here :)