Threadbare

Threadbare adj. 1. worn down so that the threads show 2. wearing old, worn clothes; shabby 3. that has lost its freshness or novelty

This quality vocabulary word has long been one of my favorites. It’s such a visual word that I’ve commonly used it to describe my patience with someone, or perhaps the supply of food in our cabinets, or maybe my enjoyment or interest in something.

The irony is that lately I’ve found myself thinking about this word every morning while dressing. It turns out that this word’s literal meaning actually still applies in certain situations.

Like with my socks. And my pants. And my shirts. And my shoes. And my, um, undergarments.

Nearly four years ago, we were in the U.S. stocking up on clothing to last us for four years, and now that the four years are almost up, guess what? The clothing have lasted, but they are now threadbare.

My thick black socks still have areas of thickness, but for the most part, their threads are bare. While not all of my pants have actual holes, they all have a completely difference feel now, resembling wind breaker material rather than lush cotton. (The cuffs of each pair are beyond threadbare; they are stringy and frayed.) My first set of shoes are long gone, by the way, and my second stringers—found used at local markets in Kenya—are developing holes and losing their soles (a truly perilous thing for a missionary in the profession of saving souls!). Also, I’m pretty sure these t-shirts and underwear weren’t see-through when I bought them, but they sure have evolved into something else altogether!

Coming from a middle class, Western background, it’s uncomfortable for me to get “dressed up” for teaching every morning with less-than-best dress clothes. But at this point—less than two months until we’re back in the U.S.—it’s silly to think of shopping for anything less holey and more thread-ful than what I currently have. And as these final weeks of our first term of service wear on in Kenya, I think my definition of “threadbare” will become even more transparently clear.