A monogram- an initial, insignia, character, design, or identification- has been on almost everything that I’ve ever owned since the day I was born. My diaper cover, diaper bag, bib, pillow, blanket, and towel (just to name a few) were all monogrammed and waiting for me and my parents when I got home from the hosiptal. And since then, I’ve expanded my monogram to necklaces, phone cases, and stickers to put on my binders for school.
Now, to those of you who are not aware, what does dictionary.com say about a monogram?
(noun) 1. a design consisting of two or more alphabetic letters combined or interlaced, commonly one’s initials, often printed on stationery, embroidered on clothing, etc.
Something else you may not know: Monograms are a southern tradition. Having grown up in Louisiana (about as southern as it gets), I’ve always been surrounded by monograms. Not just my own monogram, but all of my friend’s monograms too! I feel that I need to explain this so people don’t think my parents just had some strange fetish with my initials. Being able to monogram things also became incredibly helpful when my parents decided to have four more kids…(yes, I am the oldest of five). With five backpacks and lunchboxes every morning on the way to school, a monogram was essential.
Moving out west for college, I knew I was in for a wild-ride but was never truly prepared for the kind of people I would encounter. It baffled me that so many people were SO blissfully unaware of other people’s cultures. And this applied to many things but one in particular that has stuck with me (yes, you guessed it) is the fact that I was consistantly made fun of by people I hardly knew for mongramming just a few of my possesions (a pillow, my laptop, a canvas over my bed)! It really hurt my feelings! This was something I’d had my entire life, a form of self-expression if you will, and all of a sudden I was being teased for it? 😦
Naturally I came back with a “Screw you, I’ll monogram what ever the hell I want,” but it still hurt! Moral of the story: Don’t make fun of something that you know nothing about. You may unintentionally bash someone’s culture and/or make them sad. This applies to all things but especially a southern girl’s monogram 😉
TCB, Sav
Moments by Sav 