A CHILD'S TEDDY BEAR

 

A CHILD’S TEDDY BEAR

Once selected off the store shelf.

with both love and care…

it takes its place among the family 

when it becomes a child’s teddy bear.

Immediately the child and the bear connect 

and the parents soon become aware

how the two of them are inseparable…

the child and his teddy bear.

But a child grows up…a teddy bear does not,

and though it seems unkind,

a growing child finds other things to love,

and leaves the teddy bear behind.

But the teddy bear is ever vigilant,

he waits patiently night and day,

for one more moment with the child he once knew…

one more chance to play.

And every now and then the teddy bear is picked up,

“I miss you!” the the child inside the grown-up concedes.

and the teddy bear once again feels joy…

for love is all he ever needs.

And so I wonder:

When we want to learn of patience,

of dedication, of love and joy and what it means to share…

perhaps we need to look no further 

than on the face of a child’s teddy bear.