“This car climbed Mt. Hood.” “I’ve been to Heaven and it’s in the Poconos.” These are some examples of bumper stickers you may see on cars and trucks and vans as you drive around town. People have always wanted, since they discovered written language, to share their accomplishments with each other. They write about them. They sing about them. They put stickers on their cars, they tattoo themselves and they also wear them. That’s right, people wear their accomplishments right on their clothes!
Literally anything you’ve done can be put on a shirt. Finished kindergarten? Put it on a tee. Made it through your 25th year teaching kindergarten? Put that on a shirt. Wear it with pride; it’s something that not even all other teachers could do.
About to graduate with your PhD in mathematics? If you don’t want to wear a tee that shows off your amazing brain, I bet your mom or dad will. “My honor student is smarter than your honor student” is the line of thinking, here.
Did you just run a marathon? Simply crossing the finish line is reason enough to wear a shirt telling everyone about it, in my opinion. Participating in and finishing a race like this is not just about running; it’s about all the training that you’ve done; the stretching, the blisters, the early foggy mornings when you’d rather be in bed or sipping a second cup of coffee… Running in a race like this tells the world that you’re physically fit; you’re dedicated and have great self-discipline. You may also inspire someone else to get in shape to run in the next 5K!
Taking a special trip that includes something like white water rafting, rappelling, or riding a burro down into the Grand Canyon are activities that, once accomplished, deserve to be proclaimed to the world. These are all fun, exciting activities, and the doing of them should be shared. Putting these experiences on your shirt will spread the word to everyone who cares to look.
What to share your prowess with the fishing rod? Just landed the fish of your dreams? Wear a tee that says something like “Kingfish…He didn’t get away!”
Maybe you and three of your pals have just played in a golf tournament and won! That’s something to definitely put on your t-shirt. While you may have to wear a collared shirt on the course, changing in to a golf tee that shares your superiority with the world in the locker room is completely acceptable.
Have a child who’s going to the state spelling bee? Not only do THEY deserve a cool tee telling the world how smart they are, but so do you! While they may need to wear their “Sunday Best” while competing up on the stage, YOU can certainly wear a shirt that supports their talent and skill.
No matter what your accomplishments are, they are something to be proud of. Whether they are physical or mental, you deserve the recognition of others for a job well done.