September 9th just passed, which means another annual Teddy Bear day has come and gone. I don’t know about you, but I have always loved Teddy Bear day, because those cute, cuddly toys have always had a special place in my heart.
I remember my first teddy bear, partly because I still have him. When I was really young, I treated my stuffed animals as if they were truly alive. They all had names and took up most of my bed. I had three favorites and one of them was Winnie the Pooh. I still have them sitting on a shelf in my office as I see them as the beginning of my love for the personality and expression of animals that I portray in my needle felting.
Thanks to President Theodore Roosevelt, the teddy bear has become an undeniable part of our culture. When on the hunt in the early 1900s, the president refused to shoot a bear cub, making national news. In response, toy store owner Morris Mitchom was inspired to create a cuddly bear toy, and named it, with the president’s permission, the “Teddy Bear.”
Our culture has slowly become inundated with teddy bears of all kinds. From stuffed animals to story books to movies, teddy bears are everywhere.
For most of us, teddy bears are a staple of childhood. As we get older, (because let’s face it, as much as we try to ignore the fact, we do get older), we don’t spend that much time thinking about our special, not-alive, furry friends. Teddy Bear day is a reminder that, once upon a time, our teddy bears were our best friends, our confidants, our partners in crime.
One of the greatest teddy bears of all time, Winnie-the-Pooh, once said, “Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart.” Wow. Wisdom. Thanks, Winnie. Our teddy bears, though small, are mighty. They stand by our side, they give us comfort, they walk with us through our childhood joys and trials. And, unlike us humans, even after they’ve been forgotten and ignored for days, weeks, months, or years, our teddy bears are always there for us when we remember them again.
So, each Teddy Bear day, we do our loyal, forever friends the honor of remembering them. This year, why don’t you create a deeper connection with a new soft friend by creating your own teddy bear at Bear Creek Felting? Come on in for your kits, supplies, or lessons to learn how to create your own special teddy bear, or another cuddly friend.
As you move forward in life, always remember your bear’s loyalty and love, “If there ever comes a day when we can’t be together, keep me in your heart, I’ll stay there forever.” -Winnie-the-Pooh
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