At last we got James' Yosemite bear squared away for his trip to Maryland (OK, I was in charge of tying the ribbon around his neck and Bruce did everything else). I know that the little guy looks serious in this picture, but he's really excited about belonging to his own boy. He's up for the challenge!
Here's my own sweet childhood bear, Bearlie. I got him in Austria when I was three years old and we traveled across the Atlantic Ocean together when we came back to this country. Bearlie's been with me for the majority of my life -- he never said much, but always was my steadfast companion. He saw me through my rough teen years (which was no mean feat) and the sorrow that came when I divorced. Nowadays, he's taken up residence with the other stuffed animals on the center shelf of our walk-in bedroom closet. I like seeing him sitting up there every morning as I start my day.
It's hard to explain, and is something that isn't much understood in our culture, but this bear still means a lot to me. A friend is a friend.
You forgot to mention that the trip across the Atlantic was on a ship and that Bearlie had his own life vest.
ReplyDeleteIt's true -- Bearlie and I were both buckled into our own child-sized life vests when we had our lifeboat drill. Bless the kind heart of the crew member who smiled at us while he fitted Bearlie up. It's one of my earliest and most cherished memories.
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