Sitting in the food court at the mall eating dinner last week, we couldn't help noticing a group of teenagers. Giggling and swearing, the girls were showing off to the boys; guffawing and swearing the boys were showing off back to the girls.
When they got up to leave we spotted a pile of white stuffing dumped on a tray, the innards of a small grey bear whose decapitated head rested forlornly on top.
Miss Fab was horrified.
"How could they do that to the poor teddy?" she exclaimed.
"They were showing off," said Dash.
"Stupid meanies, hurting a poor innocent bear - look what they did!" Miss Fab said as she showed the cleaning lady the poor sad bear's head, the pile of stuffing and the empty body.
The cleaning lady tut-tutted as she gathered plates and cups, sweeping rubbish into the bin.
"Do you want me to take this?" she asked, indicating what remained of the bear.
"No, I want to save it... Can we mum?" Miss Fab asked hopefully.
I looked at the pile of bear remains. Who knew what sick things had been done to the poor toy before the teenagers discarded it? They sure had a good laugh ripping its head from its body.
I emptied a shopping bag and handed it to Miss Fab, who stuffed the bears body parts into it while murmuring, "Poor bear. Who would do that to a poor little bear? Stoopid teenagers!"
Back home, Miss Fab returned the stuffing to the little bear's body, sat its head on top and placed it on the shelf in the lounge.
"Don't forget to sew her head on, mum!" she instructed.
One busy week later the poor bear was still waiting for me to sew her head on, and Miss Fab was tired of waiting.
Taking matters into her own hands she got out my sewing tin, threaded a needle and did the deed herself.
As I sat watching her fingers repair something others had hurt and discarded my heart was touched. I was moved by my daughter's indignation at meanness, and the way she cared so much about a simple stuffed toy - however unimportant others might have deemed it. It made me proud of my fierce daughter.
I've always thought she'd make an amazing human-rights lawyer, an advocate for the poor and abused. She is fearless in the face of injustice and her wrath is a wonder to behold.
My girl. Defender of the Weak, Champion of small bears everywhere... and now Bear Surgeon.
 |
| [Star Bear's "home" in her Rescuer's bedroom] |
The once-beheaded bear is now restored to full health thanks to Miss fab's kindness and skill with a needle.
Her name is Star Bear as she now sports a silver star on her forehead; she has a house in the corner of her rescuer's bedroom and has been adopted into the Giraffe Family.
Once abused and discarded as rubbish, she is now healed and loved by someone who saw her worth even when she was broken.
Sound familiar, anyone?
♥
No comments:
Post a Comment