There are small incidents that happen in our lives that remain with us. They may be small and insignificant at the time but somehow retain a prominence in our mind. I can't explain why this is, only that it happens. Recently I was reminded of just such a small event. A friend had posted a blog about her granddaughter. She was speaking of an attachment that young girl girl has to a stuffed animal. She remarked how she found it funny how children will sometimes do that. We both agreed that there is nothing wrong with that, a perfectly natural thing. It is a curiosity however how some children will do that, and others will not. I myself carried a stuffed monkey around for a while. I don't really remember it, but there are pictures. Also Mom told me about it and she would know. I was telling this friend about my grandson, he has a stuffed raccoon. He no longer carries it around or anything like, that but it does occupy a special place in his room, and I think, in his heart. Exactly why that is I couldn't say, and I'm sure he couldn't either. It was then I was reminded of another little incident.
When my boys were just little guys, probably five or six they each had a small stuffed bear. They carried them around and played with them often. Now one day their mom had taken them out somewhere, I can't recall the details, but I was left at home with the bears. For some reason I decided to tease the boys. I took their bears and hung them, by their necks, from a light fixture. I know, I know it sounds awful but hey, I'm a guy ! So when the kids come home they see the bears and have a small fit about it. Just the reaction I was hoping for. We laughed and teased and they got their bears back. Funny thing is, one son still has that bear. It has been washed so many times it really isn't brown anymore, it is threadbare and had to be restuffed. That bear has been around !
That was just a little incident that took place close to thirty five years ago. A dad fooling around with his boys. Seemed insignificant enough at the time. It was just a passing thing, or was it ? For some unexplainable reason a bond was formed that day. It wasn't a bond between a stuffed bear and a boy however, it was a bond between a father and son. Who could have foreseen such a result from what would seem a cruel act. Yet, there it is. Is nostalgia that bond ? That would seem reasonable on the surface of things. I do believe however it is deeper than that. There is much more to the story. That story is only known by my son. It can not be told. That is because that story only exists in our collective conscious and would make no sense to anyone else. At this point the existence of the bear is only symbolic. The fact that it still exists is pretty cool, but not necessary.
Our lives are full of such small incidents. We are not always aware of them however. Sometimes it takes years to understand a single moment. It is that single moment in time that transcends our human limitations and we are enlightened. That point of light still shines brightly and shall forever.
When my boys were just little guys, probably five or six they each had a small stuffed bear. They carried them around and played with them often. Now one day their mom had taken them out somewhere, I can't recall the details, but I was left at home with the bears. For some reason I decided to tease the boys. I took their bears and hung them, by their necks, from a light fixture. I know, I know it sounds awful but hey, I'm a guy ! So when the kids come home they see the bears and have a small fit about it. Just the reaction I was hoping for. We laughed and teased and they got their bears back. Funny thing is, one son still has that bear. It has been washed so many times it really isn't brown anymore, it is threadbare and had to be restuffed. That bear has been around !
That was just a little incident that took place close to thirty five years ago. A dad fooling around with his boys. Seemed insignificant enough at the time. It was just a passing thing, or was it ? For some unexplainable reason a bond was formed that day. It wasn't a bond between a stuffed bear and a boy however, it was a bond between a father and son. Who could have foreseen such a result from what would seem a cruel act. Yet, there it is. Is nostalgia that bond ? That would seem reasonable on the surface of things. I do believe however it is deeper than that. There is much more to the story. That story is only known by my son. It can not be told. That is because that story only exists in our collective conscious and would make no sense to anyone else. At this point the existence of the bear is only symbolic. The fact that it still exists is pretty cool, but not necessary.
Our lives are full of such small incidents. We are not always aware of them however. Sometimes it takes years to understand a single moment. It is that single moment in time that transcends our human limitations and we are enlightened. That point of light still shines brightly and shall forever.
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