Kenny Chesney sings a song that has a line in it telling about a little girl dragging her teddy bear up the stairs.  If you are a parent I’m sure you could quickly name your child’s favorite stuffed animal.  If you are a younger person you may still have your childhood teddy bear or critter of choice.  I had two: one was a bear with a music box that played Brahms Lullaby and the other was an octopus.

I know a young man who has finished graduate school and is a sports announcer in a good size city.  He worked in our town for a while, and a stuffed cat from his alma mater came with him.  When he left town, I had the privilege of taking him to the airport; the stuffed cat was on top of his carry on bag, never out of sight.  It represented home.

My grandson’s most favorite stuffed animal, of way too many, was a tiny beige dog he named Pongo.  It was the one thing he had to have with him or he won’t go to sleep.  Pongo accidentally ended up in the laundry at my house once.  I had to take him home at 10PM after searching for him for an hour.  Anything for your grandchild.

I know two different ladies that at the age of 70+ had a teddy bear on their couch.  When I asked each of them who they got the bear from, sadly, I got the same answer.  “I bought it for myself because no one else ever did.”  When my aunt went into an assisted living facility she was very upset she couldn’t have a cat.  We got her a stuffed one that looked so real other residents complained she had a pet in her room.  When we would visit, we would hold it and pet it because it was really soft. Auntie slept with it on her bed.

I’m sure there is a psychological reason that humans like their teddy bears.  I’m guessing it’s a different for everyone.

Oh, it’s also National Hug Your Boss Day.  With today’s political correctness B.S. and sexual harassment allegations, I wouldn’t suggest doing that.  Maybe give him/her a teddy bear instead.