The Matter of Who Matters

The Velveteen Rabbit completely f'ed up my worldview when I was 4.  Before having it read to me, I was pretty sure my each one of my stuffed animals was important and autonomous, but after hearing the story, I knew that those who were loved the most (all of them in my case, as not to discriminate) came alive at night and did important stuff.  I grew to have respect for them and treated them as creatures who mattered to me - and considering I sheltered, clothed, and snuggled them, I assume I mattered to them.

This is Teddy Vandersluis-Morgan.  He's my reminder from childhood that love should know no bounds, human or furry. You'll notice he's dressed to the nines because that's just the kind of teddy-bear-handler I am. Also, because he may come alive at night and need to be ready to party in the woods or catch salmon or whatever.  I don't judge him.  He's a grown bear.

Teddy Vandersluis-Morgan, Age 31

The love I invested in Teddy as a little girl comes back tenfold when I need a reminder of how simple love can be and how a hug can make you feel like you matter - that you're "real."  To quote the Skin Horse (gross name, right?) from The Velveteen Rabbit, 

"Real isn’t how you are made. . . .It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real."

I believe that you can love others into a state of mattering.  People suffer from loneliness and feelings of invisibility because they aren't noticed and loved into mattering.  Failure-to-thrive babies who get all of their physical needs met, but not love and hugs, are sad examples of this.  We all matter - person, animal, or teddy bear - and we all deserve to be loved into a great state of mattering.