This morning during our usual walk around the mall, my sister and I noticed the bookstore that had been slowly closing appeared to be reaching the end, so we walked in to check out what we couldn't live without.
Right in the front of the store I was greeted by a cute little teddy bear. I just knew this would be the teddy that would replace Annabelle's beloved teddy when he needed a good wash and drying. He can't be dried in the dryer because he's so very tender. It's difficult for her to be without Teddy when she goes out the door, or down for a nap or bedtime. I thought a substiute would be just what she needed. And this teddy was an adorable teddy. So for $2.00 I decided he needed to come home with me to become Annabelle's second loved teddy.
The school for special needs students usually comes into the mall several times a week and the kids browse around. It gives them a heads up on learning to live a life independently or semi-independently later in years. When she saw I had picked up one of the teddy bears, a young girl came over to me with her own teddy clutched closely to her chest. She struck up a conversation with me, wanting to know if I was going to get one, etc. and sharing with me that her own Grandmother had died the week before. She was very sad and kept hugging the little bear. She said she needed something to help her make it through missing her Grandmother and she expressed to me how much she had missed her Grandmother. She wanted to know if I was a grandmother and I told her that I was.
I left her at the front of the store, still clinging to the bear and continued around the store looking at different things. Then young girl walked over to a lady and asked if she had $1.12. She had just exactly half what she needed to buy her teddy to provide her the comfort she needed while helping her adjust to the loss of her own Grandmother. The lady pulled out her wallet and found the money to make up the difference for her teddy.
The young girl was so very excited to be able to purchase her own teddy. And all it took was a simple act of kindness, all from one stranger to another. And another Teddy got a new home and lots of loving from a special young woman.
As for my teddy bear for Annabelle...I gave her the bag to open and I was expecting her to be so excited over getting another teddy. Was I surprised by her reaction. I asked if she wanted to take it home with her and she shook her little head, No. This one just wasn't the one that fit comfortably in the arms of a 2 1/2 year old little girl. This one just couldn't be counted on to take good care of her paci like her real Teddy does. This one was more a show teddy. Annabelle's Teddy was more real. More raggedy. And he has just the right smells she feels most comfortable with.
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