I BURY THINGS
THE ROOTS HANDLE THE REST.

Some people talk through pain.
Others carry it quietly.

“I Bury Things” is about the weight people learn to carry beneath the surface. Anger, grief, guilt, loss, regret, memories, and emotions that never fully disappear. It is a reflection on the instinct many of us develop to bury what hurts and keep moving anyway.

The skeleton tending the bonsai represents mortality, impermanence, and the understanding that time eventually strips away everything artificial. What remains are the things we cultivated, protected, and carried through hardship.

The bonsai itself symbolizes discipline, patience, and quiet refinement through suffering. In bonsai, roots do the hidden work. They anchor the tree, feed it, stabilize it, and allow growth long before anyone notices what is happening above the soil.

That idea sits at the center of this piece.

“The roots handle the rest” is about trusting time, process, and growth even when healing is invisible. Some things are not fixed overnight. Some emotions are not spoken aloud. Sometimes survival itself becomes the victory.

This piece also reflects the reality that many people bury parts of themselves just to keep functioning. Military service. Loss. Trauma. Anger. Identity. Grief. Isolation. The world often teaches people to suppress instead of process.

But buried things do not simply disappear.
They become part of the soil.

And from that soil, something new can still grow.

Rather than glorifying numbness, this design is about acknowledging the weight honestly while still choosing stewardship over destruction. The skeleton is not tearing the tree apart. It is caring for it.

Even after everything, the work continues.

Printed as a heavy back graphic with minimalist front chest branding on the Next Level 6010 tri-blend tee. The lightweight 50/25/25 cotton, polyester, and rayon blend gives the shirt a soft stretch and broken-in feel from day one while still maintaining structure over time.

Comfortable enough for everyday wear, late nights in the garage, gym sessions, long drives, quiet mornings with coffee, and the people still trying to grow something meaningful from the weight they carry.

.: 100% Airlume combed and ring-spun cotton (fiber content varies for different colors)
.: Light fabric (4.2 oz/yd² (142 g/m²))
.: Retail fit
.: Tear-away label
.: Runs true to size