Everybody has something that they keep special and close to their heart. Sometimes it’s a person that is there with you through the good times and the bad; or maybe it’s a place that you feel safe at whenever you’re there. For me it’s an object. When I was little my favorite thing to do was to go to my grandma’s house. One of the reasons I enjoyed this so much was because I was showered with gifts and good treats every time I went. One particular time was different though, I was given something that I would cherish for the rest of my life.

As I arrived at my grandma’s house she greeted me with a big hug as she brought me inside. I was only 7 at the time and would always snoop through all of her stuff looking for anything that I could lay my hands on. I remember before dinner I was playing around in her bedroom and I came across a big chest in her closet. Knowing that I probably shouldn’t look inside I did anyway. What I found was a few jewelry boxes, old blankets, and a couple books. What really caught my attention was the pink bear at the bottom of the chest. I snatched it up with immediate love and hid it behind the pillow in the spare bedroom.

My grandma noticed later after dinner that I was hiding something and asked me what it was. I showed her that it was the pink bear and she smiled softly. She told me that she had received this old tattered bear when she was little from her grandma and was planning on passing it down to me. I don’t know why but this bear was so special to me and I was filled with excitement as soon as she said I could have it.

About a year later my grandmother passed away. I remember running to my bedroom and hugging my bear for hours and hours. The next couple months the bear was there for me as a reminder of my grandma and a reminder of all the memories that I had with her. The little pink bear, just a stuffed animal, got me through one of the hardest times in my life. To this day the bear is still sitting on my bed, all torn up and missing buttons… It has helped me through so much just because of all the meaning behind it. I believe that it doesn’t always have to be people and places that you feel safe with or at but it can be something as simple as a stuffed animal pink bear.