My office just like my home is full or items that remind me of people I love or places we’ve been or gifts someone has bought for me. I know some people decorate their offices with awards, pictures, and things that look nice which I’ve done in the past. Now, I have my own little mascots, and every one of them has a story.
David hung my curtain in my office, and it says, “Grateful, Thankful, and Blessed.” And I am! Woo! Thanks to the LORD. But if you look up at the very top of my shelf, don’t look at all the boxes and things underneath. Just look at my little collection of mascots. You’ll find pieces of my family’s story sitting there, reminding me every day of the people I love.
I have a Seal that reminds me of one of Suzzane’s favorite movies, Andre. If you haven’t seen this movie your missing out just make sure to have kleenexs on hand because if your like Suzzane and I and even David and Charlie your going to need them and more than one.
I have Charlie’s bulldog from when he graduated high school, a pink teddy bear that was placed on Suzzane’s memorial, and an elephant Suzzane bought me. I also have an Lion from Charlie’s baby days that my nephew bought for him. Then peeking over the shelf is Suzzan’e purple Platapus.
They may look like ordinary stuffed animals and little keepsakes to someone walking into my office, but they mean so much more to me. They’re my mascots. They’re little reminders of my family, our memories, and the love that stays with us. They will be handed down to Charlie’s children one day.
Of all the things on that shelf, the pink teddy bear holds a special place in my heart. It was placed on Suzzane’s memorial, and that detail has always meant something to me. Someone chose a pink teddy bear because they knew Suzzane. They understood something about her, and that little bear became a reminder that other people knew and loved my daughter, too.
Suzzane had her own teddy bear, Emily, which Stevie from Big Brothers Big Sisters bought for her. Charlie has his first teddy bear, too, tucked away in my tote with his baby things. Those bears have their own stories, but the pink teddy bear on the memorial means just as much to me in its own way.
When I look up from my work and see it sitting on that shelf, it feels like Suzzane is smiling down on me. And sometimes, when you’re working through the day, you need that little reminder. You need something that brings a smile to your face and reminds you that love doesn’t disappear just because someone isn’t physically here with you.
Every mascot on that shelf connects me to someone I love. The elephant Suzzane bought me reminds me of her. Charlie’s Lion takes me back to his baby days and the thoughtful gift my nephew bought him. Charlie’s bulldog reminds me of my son. And my seal brings back memories connected to one of Suzzane’s favorite movies.
I don’t need every item in my office to be new, fancy, or expensive. I want the things around me to mean something. That’s one reason I love having these little mascots where I can see them while I’m working on Greatful Moments. My office is where I write, share family stories, work on articles, and try to bring a little happiness to someone else’s day.
And right there on the shelf are my own reminders of what matters most. David helped make the office feel like mine when he hung my “Grateful, Thankful, and Blessed” curtain. The mascots make it even more personal. They remind me that even while I’m busy working, I’m surrounded by memories of the people who helped make me who I am.
When you hear about National Bring Your Teddy Bear to Work or School Day it might sound like a fun little holiday to you, and it certainly can be. But to me its a piece of my children’s childhood. Children can bring a favorite teddy bear to school, and grown-ups can bring one to work.
But I think there’s something deeper behind the idea, too. Sometimes a stuffed animal is much more than a toy. It can be a connection to childhood, a reminder of someone special, a source of comfort, or a keepsake that carries a story only you fully understand. You don’t have to be a child to treasure a teddy bear. You don’t have to explain its meaning to anyone else, either.
For me, bringing Suzzane’s memory into my workday doesn’t mean carrying her original teddy bear around. It means having that pink teddy bear on my shelf, right where I can see it. It’s part of my everyday life. I see it when I look up from my computer, and it reminds me of my daughter. That’s why this day means so much to me. In a way, I bring my teddy bear with me every single day.
Do you have a teddy bear from childhood? Maybe someone gave you one during a difficult time. Perhaps your child has a favorite stuffed animal that has been everywhere with them, or you keep one because it reminds you of someone you miss. Whatever the story, those little treasures deserve a place in our lives.
This National Bring Your Teddy Bear to Work or School Day, take a moment to think about the things you keep close. They don’t have to make sense to anyone else. They only have to mean something to you. And if you happen to see a pink teddy bear sitting on the top shelf of my office, now you know why it’s there. It’s one of my little mascots, one of my reminders, and one of the ways Suzzane stays close to my heart while I go about my day.
Grateful, Thankful, and Blessed.
GreatfulMoments.com
Thank you,
Glenda, Charlie and David Cates
