T is for Teddy Bear

It's heartwrenching to think that there are so many children in this affluent community who will not be celebrating the holidays as most of us are blessed enough to do. These precious little ones cannot count on having a glorious feast on their dining room table on Christmas Eve. These precious little ones cannot count on having an abundance of gifts awaiting them on Christmas morn under the tree.

But these precious little ones will have a teddy bear filled with love and whispered blessings from our hearts to theirs...to give them a glimmer of magic and kindness when they need it the most. As a small gesture of hope offered from a police officer when removing a child from a chaotic and dangerous household. As a tiny token of goodness for a teen entering a place of safety while his life is reassembled. I love these bears. But mostly, I love the arms that will soon hold them close.

AAAHHH!!!!

I probably shouldn't post when I'm feeling like this...grumpy, frustrated, disenchanted. But the true reason I started this blog was to release those feelings in a healthier manner...to unfetter myself from their bondage. So, let me begin...parenting can be just plain hard and parenting teenagers can be downright impossible. There are so many aspects of this age that I truly adore...the heart to heart conversations, the intense wistfulness, and the innocent yearning. But there are also many aspects of this age that I truly detest...the nasty attitudes, the sense of entitlement, and the irrational demands! Without giving specifics (because I do have to allot a certain amount of privacy and respect regardless of how much I want to spill) lets just say that if she survives to sixteen I will be shocked! Enough said!

Do you feel it?

During this magical and heart-warming season I must confess that there are moments in which I find myself feeling exhausted...even downright stressed! (Maybe I need to clarify that right now my home is essentially quarrantined as I have two young girls spiking fevers and leaving trails of puke behind and, of course, my husband is currently on call!!!!)

So, in order to make certain that I successfully alleviated these unwanted nudges from affecting my holiday cheer, I decided to take action. I thumbed through my favorite "stress reduction" book (thanks Stevie) and settled upon an idea that I immediately fell in love with. Thankfully, the suggestion was so simple. There is such beauty and freedom in simplicity! The words leapt at me as I savored their perfect conciseness..."READ A POEM EVERY DAY!"

I plucked the book (Falling Up) from its spot of safety on Alissa's bedroom shelf noticing the dust jacket had been removed and the pages were dog-eared and worn. This simple act of retrieving this obviously adored book, in and of itself, immediately reduced my anxiety.

I hope by sharing this little gem you will feel a child-like smile (along with some stress relief) take over your face! I sure did!

Snowball
I made myself a snowball
As perfect as could be.
I thought I'd keep it as a pet
And let it sleep with me.
I made it some pajamas
And a pillow for its head.
Then last night it ran away,
But first - it wet the bed.
by Shel Silverstein