I got the idea from my blog friend Gem who blogs over at Gem's country life dream
My oldest and pretty much only kept toy is Pinkie, my Pink-panther. He was given to me by my Uncle and wife apparently when I was about two and I have always loved him best, more than any other of my cuter or better made cuddly toys. He's so sad and lollopy looking. He leans his head to one side and just looks at you in that way- he's really easy to hug and he just tucks under my chin nicely if I want to hug him in my sleep. He was always the toy that I hugged closest to me when I set up my soft-toy defence zone against the scary Haemovores from Doctor Who when I was around 7 onwards. Yes, there was a time when Doctor Who really scared me. Those Haemovores haunted me for a good 3-4 years of my life but Pinkie was always there as my defence.
He even had a younger son at one point- a family member won me a tiny Pink Panther at a school fete and he hung around as Pinkie's side-kick for a while. He was cute but lacked Pinkie's character and longevity.
CBC is always a bit mean to Pinkie because he is rather moth-eaten and I imagine he hasn't had a bath for 25 years. I can't bear the thought of subjecting him to the washing machine.
When I lived in Bali, I really wished I'd taken him along. Instead, I took Sirius Black along because he was a bit smaller.
A while back, I bought an experiential daily reading, devotion and act of faith book called 'God 360' which my friend had recommended as it was by her friend Andy Flannagan. One of the first few devotions was to:
"Give a precious item you own to a local charity shop or cash converters. It doesn't have to be expensive - just something that has sentimental value to you or will be hard to replace...It continues, but I'll leave it there.
In the next one to two days, experience what it felt like for God to 'let go' of us, running the risk that we may never return. We enjoy having freewill, but any of you who are parents will know that, at times, you would rather cancel your offspring's freewill for a day or two to save them from themselves. However, the remarkable truth is that the story doesn't stop end there. God buys us back."
I did the first 3 devotions in the book but this one- I couldn't do it. The thought of giving Pinkie to a charity shop fills me with utter dread and sadness. Because I know he wouldn't be there to be sold. He would be deemed as worthless, dirty, old, saggy, past his best, They would put him in the rag bag or worst, just out into the rain with the rubbish. He may be saggy, old, faded, ugly, but to me he is something very precious, handsome, special and wanted. I guess there's a lesson in there too about how God views us.
As I went upstairs to look for Pinkie for photos, I realised I hadn't hugged him for a while. In the chaos of the spare room, rather than finding him propped up in place of honour against the pillows, I found him squashed under a large box and under a mound of clothes. I felt truly ashamed. In his dotage, he should be treated kindly and respectfully and with love.
I am aware I sound a sentimental idiot, but surely I am not the only one with an overly sentimental attachment to a soft toy.
Over to you, who is your most beloved toy? Would you write a post about yours? If so, let me know, as I'd truly love to read it.
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| This photo is from my student house in my final year at university. My ex-boyfriend had arranged all my soft toys in a line together which I thought was adorable! I took this photo with me to Bali. |
xxx