Keepsakes and old friends

I received the nicest award from Surprised Mom the other day (thank you so very much!) and was offered the opportunity to share a keepsake, a special memento from my past. Please check out her post about six special rings. 

As per usual, there are rules attached:

1. Post a funny or sweet keepsake that tells something about myself.
2. Pass the award on to 10 other bloggers that I think are keepers.

This is George.

George has been with me since I was about five.

He was more than just a stuffed animal, more than a mere toy. He was my constant companion well into my elementary school years. He was my guard dog against the bogey man and monsters under my bed. He dried my tears when I was sad, and kept all my seven-year-old inner most secrets.

He had to go through the humiliation of being dressed in my doll’s clothes, swaddled and carried around like a baby, and drooled on by a sick kid.

He underwent emergency surgery at the Mommy Hospital when our family dachshunds got a little jealous and chewed off his right eyebrow. And, he has a chronic seam leak, dropping little bits of styrofoam occasionally.

The hardest thing I did as a kid was to voluntarily give up George as my ‘comfort blanket.’ I slept with him until I was at least 10. I didn’t get a good night’s sleep for a week.

Even once I was able to fall sleep without him on my pillow, if I was sick or scared, convinced the monsters were back under the bed, I’d take him off my shelf and put him back on my pillow… just for the night.

Through the years, through every move, every new home, every new state, George made the move with me.

I’m surprised the he’s weathered the years as well as he has, and hasn’t completely disintegrated. Yet, like any good, true friend, George has stuck by me, thick and thin, good and bad, in youth and… not youth.

Maybe that’s why I still keep him, he reminds me that old friends will always be with me. A little worn perhaps, a little worse for the wear, but still there to listen to my sad stories, dry my tears or keep the monsters away.

 

As for passing this on to other bloggers… I’m only tagging a few friends, but all of my blog pals are keepers, so if you would like to share a special keepsake, grab the bling and tell us your story.

Cyndy – Putting the Fun in DysFUNctional
Heather – Singing with my Heart
Devyl Gyrl – Random Musings and Thoughts