They say some of the greatest adventures in life are also the ones that are the most unexpected. I suppose I can relate to that. How I met my husband, when we found out we were expecting our first, when I found a $20 bill in the coat pocket from last year and now... this. This little mobile stuffed animal party adventure. It kinda just happened. And really, that’s all I can say. Quite an unforeseen barge into my rather ordinary life.
And I guess life also tends to keep its order by maintaining a balance. I was once told rejoicing and suffering go hand in hand. I just did not anticipate how low my valley could dip.
About six years ago on a Sunday early evening, we took our then 15-month old son out for a post-dinner stroll around our neighborhood. He couldn’t walk yet, but the three of us were marveling at the change of season of New England. And a phone call spurred the flip of that season, a crushing weight to life that is so delicate. My mom was involved in a horrific car accident. It left five people dead at the scene, and she was airlifted to the nearest hospital. And that was how our little family moved to the left coast. Just like that, a new season abruptly unraveled.
After what seemed like forever-weeks to reach stabilization, countless hours of surgery, tears of pain and tears of joy, we were able to bring mom to a hospital closer to home for intensive in-patient rehabilitation. All of us piled into the lounge to share a Thanksgiving meal that year. As Christmas was approaching, the hospital hosted a fun pick-me-up. Santa Claus stopped by each room to give a stuffed animal to every patient. My mom was happy to receive a small white tiger... which I thought was odd, “This woman pretty much loathes stuffed animals.” I dismissed the trivial thought rather unimportant. Then, it hit me the next day. My little son, who was walking by now, came by to visit his grandma. My mom surprised him with the white stuffed tiger. He promptly named it Cody after the family’s cat, and Cody has been his fur-ever lovey since then.
The power of stuffed animals. I know it sounds silly, but it’s true! Okay, maybe not the “stuffed animals,” but the act of gifting and receiving these cute cuddly stuffed-buddies can be so much more than meets the eye.
My dream is to bring the same joy that I have encountered when I needed it the most. I consider this platform as my “key” to get onto the pediatric floors at the local hospitals and to the nursing homes. To help alleviate loneliness with a new stuffed-buddy, which they helped bring to life themselves, even just for one day out of the ordinary, and to restore their significance no matter their age and validate their life stories.
We weren’t made to do life alone. Some of you know the similar despair I once got too familiar with. I was able to finally process the debris piece by piece and get to a place where I can look back not just feeling rattled but also ironically with profound fondness. And I couldn’t do it alone. Sure, I unfortunately had missed my son’s first steps. The trauma had a ripple effect even on a child so young. Our marriage strained from the madness that ensued. There were many dysfunctional pieces we had to figure out. But all the loss, I count it as gain. I can’t say it was easy, but we all grew from the experience. Eventually. And I could not have done it without the encouragement from friends and family. And friends’ friends. People in this community. And a community in a town I’ve never heard of. Friends who would later become like family. A complete stranger who would even give up his seat on that flight, so we could get out here. When you have the support from the community, when you know they are rallying behind you and when you can hear their rooting for you, you can stand taller than yesterday. It makes the day anew. You can recharge. This is the strength I want to tap into. And I welcome you to be a part of this, too. Perhaps you are expecting 20 guests at your party.... Would you kindly consider gifting five stuffed animals to the little kiddos and the elderly, who could use some cheer? Stuffed Bear Party exists on this mission: For every [fur-ever animal] experience purchased, one experience will be gifted to a child at local children's hospitals or the young at heart at nursing homes around us. Will you join us? Right on. We are made to do life together. I’m so glad you are here.
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Grace is just an ordinary person, who always gets baffled when having to answer, “What is your favorite hobby?” because truthfully, to her dismay, she really doesn’t have any. Even the enneagram test couldn’t figure her out. But if “throwing parties” can be considered her hobby without making it sound too weird, like a person who never left college, she would declare it loudly. She has passion for people and always yearns to hear their stories. When she is not corralling her two young children in their mountain home, she’s most likely corralling the family’s animals, which her husband keeps rescuing. She knows for sure (and often has to remind herself on some days, let’s be honest) that her best unexpected gift in life is her husband, who, on the other hand, has many hobbies and skills. YTB.
