The Blue Teddy Bear

  The fat, blue teddy bear has been around for a long, long time. In fact, he once sat proudly on the bed in his owner's childhood bedroom. I hadn't seen him for quite awhile until the other night. There was a chilly rain falling when the door bell rang, and when I opened the door, out of the corner of my eye, I saw him, thrown down on top of some old canvas traveling bags that held the all the worldly possessions his owner has.


After the bear's owner departed, taking him along once again, I couldn't help but wonder about how many places the little fellow has traveled around to. His owner doesn't seem to be able to find any place to call home on a permanent basis, even though the destinations arrived at have been in many different locations and in other states too. And most of the time, he's been along.

If the little blue bear could tell what all his little eyes have observed in these many travels, I doubt if what he had to say would include any real joy or happiness. His owner's search seems to always be connected with ways of the world that I don't understand and cannot in any way relate to. More than likely, he has been the only steadfast friend his owner has had since beginning to travel on roads that lead to nowhere. And with being his owner’s only true companion, I know he realizes the misplaced potential his owner has for becoming once more a person of highest integrity, and also one who could be living a good and wholesome life. I'm sure he has been there when deep sorrow for mistakes made has overtaken his owner. His little blue body has, more than likely, absorbed a world of tears. It would seem that by now, continuing on with that way of life would have been put aside, but that doesn't appear to be the case. The owner and the little blue bear are often homeless with no one to turn to and no place to go. They only have each other. Many holidays have come and gone, but the owner was not home to celebrate. I can't imagine what that would feel like.

I've often said that life is exactly what we make of it, and I believe this is especially true for the owner of the little blue bear. The choices and decisions we make, the friends we chose to associate with ... we are each in control of how we live each day of our lives. I have also heard other people say that things don't change until we reach the very bottom and have to start climbing back up again, and that it's only then a real change will take place. But waiting for that day to happen is so painful. With the beginning of each new day, I'm sure the little blue bear has hoped that today is that day things will change, and this old way of life will stop, and hopefully it will happen before he's so old and worn out, he no longer cares. It would be tragic, not just for the blue bear, but especially for his owner, if that day doesn't come. Life is so short. Relationships that have been severed could possibly begin to be mended if only that day of change could begin, this time for real. It's all up the owner of the little blue bear, and only time will tell.