Real

"Real isn't how you are made," said the Skin Horse. "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."

"It doesn't happen all at once," said the Skin Horse. You become. It takes a long time. That's why it doesn't often happen to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand."
-- The Velveteen Rabbit, Margery Williams
Braden has a stuffed dog named Chester, who he received for Christmas from his Mom-Mom, one of his Great Grandmothers, when he was one. Braden loves Chester as if he were a real, breathing dog. And I am convinced that Chester is real now. He started out his life almost seven years ago as a fluffy, soft, shiny-eyed puppy. Now, his fur is matted, his stuffing is separating, and his eyes are scratched. But Braden doesn't see this when he looks at him. He is Braden's comfort and friend through all of the changes and trials he has had to go through. When Braden has had to be without his Daddy for years at a time, Chester has been there. When Braden has been scared to move and make new friends, he has always had his friend Chester. And it was Chester who comforted me on Braden's first day of kindergarten when I cried into his fur because I missed my boy.

But Chester has grown to also be a friend who Braden wants to share happy times with. We just spent the long weekend at Legoland Deutschland. Braden brought Chester with us in the car one morning when we left the hotel to go have fun at the amusement park. I told him he would have to leave him in the car, because I am so afraid of losing him. But he persisted, and we decided to let him ride in the basket of Liam's stroller. But Braden made sure that Chester could see-- he wanted to make sure that he was able to enjoy Legoland with us.

Of course, Chester comes from a long line of "real" friends. Before him, Morgan had an Eeyore doll (who is characteristically missing his tail).

My Kermit saw me through many years. I received him for my 6th birthday from my Uncle Bobby. I don't know why Kermit became so special to me, but I truly loved him. It may be that shortly after I received him my sister Lydia got really sick, and he was a comfort to me at that time. But Kermit ended up accompanying me to college, and then to Romania for my mission. My Dad decided that Kermit shouldn't be excluded from my wedding, so he dressed him up in a tie for the occassion. Kermit is even in some of the pictures! Kermit and Eeyore now sit in places of honor in our toyroom -- up high where they can't be played with, because they don't have any more "play" in them. But they still have love, and even though I love to purge and get rid of things that I don't use, they aren't going anywhere. They have earned a place in our family.

I am glad that Braden is still so sweet and innocent, and has so much love for his "real" friend. One day, Chester won't always be in the crook of his arm. He will grow up and Chester will be left behind. But I wouldn't be surprised if Chester one day has a place of honor in my grandchildren's playroom.