Mark Nixon's book Much Loved, in which he pays photographic tribute to cherished childhood bears, bunnies, and other cuddlies, inspired me to dig up my dear Ted. He had been packed away for years. In fact, it took me an hour to find which box.
He's threadbare, missing his right eye, and his schnozzle is tooth-marked. I won't tell you exactly how old he is. Let's just say he's not quite sixty. I wasn't sure he would remember me, since I've changed, too. But he knew me right away, and it made me cry.
His back is stitched from the time I performed exploratory surgery. When he was new, he made a noise when rocked back and forth. I was concerned when Ted fell silent. After cutting him open, I found a noise maker can embedded in his belly. The moan was not a bear sound after all. He had been mooing like a cow!
Ted is now happily sitting in the chair beside my desk. I look in his wise eye when I need encouragement. He knew I wouldn't stay away forever...and he has forgiven me for the box thing.
when we turn away from love it's always waiting there for us to turn back around.
ReplyDeleteOh, what a steady guy your little bear has proved to be ... I'm glad you brought him out of the mothballs and back to the light!
ReplyDeleteMy guy is Ralph. And he's next to me on my couch here, as I type. Of COURSE he made you cry. Love that arrows to our core always does that, doesn't it?
ReplyDeleteI have one who has the name of Old Ugly. He sits on my bed and waits for me every night.
ReplyDeleteDear ol' Ted! Dang good bear, recognizing you immediately and loving you unconditionally! Thanks for sharing him with us. You two are good for each other...here's to many years unboxed, together. Thank you, Ted, for encouraging my dear friend...
ReplyDeleteAll the best bears have only one eye!
ReplyDeleteI'd love to show you my 'Alphonse' (a soldier doll), but he lives in a loft back in England. The inseparable, having been separated.
Aw this made me cry :) As you know Mike dug out Puff from HER box, but I don't think she's forgiven me yet. Ha!
ReplyDeleteIt's funny...I had a few stuffed animals when I was young but none of them became close with me (nor me them!). I don't really know why. I was a Tom Boy at heart and spent so much time outside building tree forts and fox holes with my cousin Ken. Perhaps that is why. And I have horrible memories of my mother's boyfriend trying to bribe my affections with stuffed animals. Maybe that was it: I couldn't stand him and I certainly didn't want any part of the bears he was bringiing me as bribes. To this day I don't have many childhood "friends" of comfort around. I think this is something I need to ponder. What has taken the place of those for me? Thanks for opening this up. Great journal work ahead.
ReplyDeleteOh! I want to see everyone's dear childhood friends...
ReplyDeleteLove is all you need. Natalie told me.
ReplyDeleteMy childhood rocking horse, aptly named "Horsey (insert my last name here)", has been freed from his springs and frame, and is in my attic, looking out the window. I've had him nearly 50 years, and he will always be wherever I am. He was the tip of the iceberg where my horse obsession started. We rode many good miles together, in our imaginations.
ReplyDeleteMy words cannot express how much I LOVE THIS POST! (Perhaps the caps will help paint the picture :)
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely fantastic! Terribly relatable!
I just love it.