This blog is more than an account of Near Death Experiences. It ponders in detail the tough questions of life. Who are you, and why are you here in this physical world? What happens when you die, and is there a judgment? However, most anything could appear here. This is not a news blog, archived posts are just as relevant as new posts. Check the boxes at the top of the page for the Contents, Contact, Forum and other links.
While death seems like a topic everyone wants to avoid until they are 90 years old, it should be discussed because we are all headed that way. It’s all around us. Suicide is preventable and I will show you why. People are crying out for help and you may just be the person to save them. As people such as me know, even the most happy and successful people experience feelings of helplessness, worthlessness, and sadness.
Particularly, I will focus on the age group between 15-24. I think that suicide should be taken very seriously. I believe that at any age suicide is sad and is sometimes a selfish way to end your life. I think anyone who does this is not in their right mind and needs intervention just like a physical disease. While teen and college suicides can be avoided, they face struggles that are not going away which most people this age can relate to at one time in their lives and especially during these years. We must be aware of what surrounds this issue and we all must do our part to prevent these tragic deaths from happening and be aware of alternatives to suicide.
I think that life has always been fragile, even for our ancestors. Your life can be gone at any moment. No one is guaranteed even the next minute. If you think about the different ways people die, there are numerous causes. If you go back in history, even people as great as Abraham Lincoln had depression and thoughts of suicide (Stamp out Stigma).We still face many of the same hardships as our ancestors because we still are human and always will be. We are not exempt from stress just because we live in a modern world. All the negative things going on in the world can drive a person to seek a way out such as suicide.
What are some statistics about teen and college student suicide? Some decades ago, The World Health Organization found out that in 1982, Hungary had the greatest suicide rate out of over 20 European countries. One reason is because of their large population of chronic alcoholics. (Robbins.) We sure could lend a hand to them. In the United States, suicide was measured as the ninth reason of death. More than 30,000 people died from suicide in 1994.
Suicide is the source for 1 to 2 percent of all loss of life in the United States (Robbins 9). Even just 1 to 2 percent is a lot considering that even though the U.S. is the land of “opportunity and freedom,” suicide is still high on the charts as a reason of death. This to me is one of the greatest problems our country is facing today. A more current WHO study shows that young people are often in more jeopardy and that suicide is the second largest cause of dying too soon in the 10-24 age group (Reimer).
Let’s look at some more facts. “Every year, almost 1 million people commit suicide; this is approximately 3,000 deaths a day, or 1 death every 40 seconds” (Reimer). This means that somewhere in the U.S. another person is gone that could have gotten help but it’s now too late. “Approximately every 40 seconds, another family loses a loved one to suicide” (Reimer). That means a lot of families must be grieving at the same time. It is also likely to me that most families have or will probably lose someone to suicide during their lifetime. “27 percent of high-school students said they’d “thought seriously” about suicide in the past year; 8 percent said they’d actually tried to kill themselves. “10.3 percent of U.S. college students admitted serious thoughts of suicide; 6.7 percent had a suicide plan” (Meritt). That is like a third of the nation’s young people that are seriously thinking about suicide and those are the only ones who were brave enough to tell us.
Before you even think of suicide as an option, it’s important to think not just of what suicide would do to yourself, but also to those around you. I asked some ordinary people, how do you think your family and friends would react to your death? Do you think this is selfish? About half said suicide was selfish and half not. I think that each suicide varies case by case and no one understands all the person’s motives to why they did it. Abby said, “Most definitely. Suicide is selfish; I know that sounds hard, but the number one reason you’re depressed is because you’re looking at yourself. Your problems, what’s wrong with you, what kind of person you should be, what you should be doing, etc.” Jamie said, “I think they would be surprised and I think quite a few people would be disappointed and upset. It’s not selfish because anyone who dies is going to make people upset. I always wondered if once you die you could see your funeral and how people react to it. I know I would like to see how people react.” Abdul said, “Devastated. Yes it is selfish because your family and friends love you too, but it’s also not selfish too because it’s not in our hands. There is an example if a person is suffering and can’t handle the pain, that person may wish to die. Well in case of love, the pain you get, it’s kind of unbearable sometimes.” Kristin said, “I believe my friends and family would be negatively impacted by my suicide.” (I would cause them a lot of grief) Yeah I think it is selfish because we’re not thinking about how it would affect others and how they may need us.”
Then I asked: what are the major factors that affect the idea that suicide sounds better than life? The most obvious factor is stress. Out of the four people I interviewed all of them had a different word to express stress. The words were things like lack of motivation, depression, and anxiety. These words are things that lead to stress or changes in normal functioning. Jamie said, “I had low motivation to do anything. Everything seemed like I had to push myself in order to get it done. I didn’t really want to do anything and if I did I felt weak.” She is saying you lose your sense of enjoying and being interested in life. Abdul said, “I felt like it was the end of the world. For me it was the feeling of being extremely sad. It was also very hard to breathe.” He is saying that we almost forget to breathe because the heaviness of sadness is so extreme. Kristin said, “Yeah I’ve felt suicidal because I felt that social anxiety was overtaking me.” It seems that stress adds to what a person is feeling and can be too much at a time. Also the degree and to what extent these feelings are also plays a role. The higher the level of these feelings, the more likelihood you are going to act on them.
What are the theories according to professionals, in regards to the causes of suicide? The most common theories, for example, to why adolescents commit suicide are psychological, biological, and lifestyle choices like alcohol and drug use. The first theory is psychological. Freud pointed out that depression seems to be the typical emotional situation of many people attempting suicide (Robbins 4). The types of people that are more likely to commit suicide are those in a serious crisis, those who are deeply sad or anxious, and people who deal with anger problems (Merritt). I think anyone of those can make a person unstable enough to want to die. As another author put it, there are verbal, situational, behavioral, and depressive warnings (Leighton 185). Many young people who are mixed up about their sexual identity or who have experienced guilt or embarrassment, can see suicide as a way to stop their feelings that they should be “normal” (Merritt). ”Freud said there are two basic instincts, “eros” meaning life or sexual drive and “thanatos” a death wish. A writer named Hendin noted strong feelings of shame and the need to punish yourself as a characteristic of some teens and young adults. (Robbins 4). In other words, for your wrongdoings or to stop those intense feelings, suicide seems like the exit out of it. I think this seems a way to take the easy way out and escape life because death seems more peaceful.
The second theory is biological. Suicide tends to appear more often in families with histories of suicide occurring than by chance (Robbins 44). Twin studies suggest that there is some genetic significance on the likelihood of suicide. Changes in serotonin levels is also related to effect someone to commit suicide (Robbins 45). I am a twin and my sister hasn’t had as extreme thoughts as me to the point of suicide but my mother did, so that shows some genetic influence.
The last theory about drugs and alcohol as one of the main reasons as I mentioned earlier about Hungary, shows how this lifestyle choice can ruin your life. Those who mix alcohol with other prescription drugs can have devastating effects. The relief that drugs and alcohol give is temporary and the relief suicide offers is permanent,”(Robbins 5). We all want to find something that relieves us of the pressures that life gives us, but suicide shouldn’t be our answer.
What are the events that may drive a person (between 15-24) over the edge to suicide, relating to their home or social lives? Professionals say that the loss of a family or friend to death may cause an adverse reaction (Robbins 81). For example, I lost my mom to suicide, from a train accident and took it really hard. Some other reasons are: when students encounter rejection in romantic relationships, divorce of parents, an eating disorder, failure at critical academic tasks, or substance abuse” (Leighton xiv). I have personally felt the desire to die because the boy I liked didn’t love me back, I thought I could never love again.
Why is this increasing? The future isn’t as secure as we think it is, but it hasn’t ever been. It’s just with all our modern conveniences; it seems we should have the easy life. Another thing that is interesting to point out that one of my relatives mentioned is that, “Those who are in mental institutions don’t like themselves.” We have become a group of people who are always trying to achieve and there is much competition everywhere–for jobs, to be the most beautiful, to be successful, to have material wealth. It can be overwhelming, but we can’t ever be replaced. There will never be another person exactly like you on the planet. If you choose suicide as a way out, you’ll leave behind what could have been and all the good things you could do for the world. I personally relate to this because I have been in the hospital five times for suicidal thoughts. I never acted on them to the point that death would be a sure thing and couldn’t come back, probably because I was more afraid of death than life. I do think about suicide a lot still because I feel trapped. I don’t want to be here but I don’t want to die. It’s the kind of thing that most people can’t make up their minds about.
If I didn’t have family or friends or people who loved me, I would have a long time ago given up and died. Everyone has at one point in their lives felt suicidal. Look at the celebrities all around you. You’ll be sure to find people like you looking for someone to talk to or be a friend to. Even the most happy and put together people who seem to have no reason to be sad and who have secret problems or things they don’t show on the outside commit suicide.
Is it best to take the initiative and get that person help? Should a person be taken seriously if they seem to be contemplating suicide? Yes, because so many young people are a danger to themselves, threats of suicide should always be taken seriously. Suicide is one situation where it’s better to guess wrong about someone’s intentions than to stay quiet about it (Merritt). “Even though girls are about twice as likely to attempt suicide, boys are four times more likely to complete the act” (Merritt). I am thankful that my family got me the help I needed and forced me to go to the hospital, otherwise I might not be here.
There is a stigma against people with mental problems. “Shame and discredit still mark those persons who are so indiscreet to acknowledge their emotional needs and ask for help,” (Leighton 81). I partly agree. I think people fear what their friends and family will think, or that they will just send them straight to a mental institution for life. This being said, I think people with these suicidal thoughts don’t know how to ask for help. If you think famous people don’t get these thoughts think again. Isaac Newton was strikingly peculiar and out of sync and was considered mad by his equals. Yet he is considered one of the greatest of scientists. Emily Dickinson was extremely alone and hardly social with anyone but has given so much to literature (Leighton 7).
What advice would you give readers about their options? Who would you talk to if you needed help? Abby said, “When I was in high school I went to my siblings for help. In college, I went to two of my friends and my sister Danielle.” Jamie said, “I think talking can always help. Some people need a lot of help others find being alone helps them the most.” I think if you need alone time to figure things out allow yourself to do that. Abdul said, “I got help from mostly from close friends but also felt that nothing worked.” This is saying that not everyone handles these thoughts the same. Sometimes intervention is not enough and something else is needed. What do professionals say about where to get help? There are the suicidal hotlines first and foremost. Then there are peer support groups, counselors, and pastors or other religious figures
(Robbins).
What do average people say is the ultimate reason why people ages 15-24 wish to die and what can be done about it? Jamie said, “Stress and thinking that maybe if they are not in school right away or do not have a nice job yet, maybe they have low self esteem which could lead to deeper issues. Things seem more balanced and in place when you are older.” Abdul said, “It’s hard for them to accept the reality of this world. It can be a broken heart, family crisis, etc. Kristin said, “They’re all dealing with a lot of changes and stresses and not sure if life will get better–they feel hopeless.” Abby said, (for those of you are spiritually minded) “People don’t truly understand the love of God. (or your higher power) His love holds all that anyone could ever need. It’s in truly understanding His love that you’re transformed and set free. That life becomes worth living again. Also, I think another big reason for every problem is condemnation. We think we’re supposed to be this certain way and we have to force ourselves to be that way. As I get closer and closer to God (or your higher power), and understand His love more and more, I realize he’s changing me. I can just sit back and trust Him.” This means to me that people wish to die because of things they feel are beyond their control or major stressors. I think that knowing a “higher power’s” love for you and loving yourself are the two ingredients to being happy.
How can a student get a good start to their independence? First of all, I think teens and college students should take it one step at a time. Try to gradually get more and more responsibilities and don’t rush into it, because you have your whole life to be your “adult self.” Why do we feel that death is our only option and what options do we really have? I have an idea, called “help others therapy.” At least once a week try to do one random act of kindness for somebody else and do it in secret. It can be something as simple as a smile. I think instead of focusing on your problems that will get you deeper in a hole, try digging yourself out by listening to the others around you who are also trapped. You may feel a surge of life going back into you and a renewed sense of purpose and not only help yourself but get others out too. What kind of things can we do to lower our stress level; that will lift one of the biggest burdens off of ourselves? I think if you’re feeling overwhelmed by school, work, or home problems take some of those things out of your schedule. You can take it easy for awhile. Lots of students are trying to do too much. There is no rush to complete college. You don’t have to have your own office, the coolest looking car, a high paying job, and a family all at once. We need to slow down. When I was in the hospital my dad said maybe I could take a semester off from school. My aunt said I could go to California to visit them. Take care of yourself first and relax. My point is if you hold on just a little bit longer you’ll see why your still here. Think of all that you would miss. There will never be another you. If you look at how many problems and issues go away with time and that things can get better, you’ll realize how much you want to live. Most people can relate to experiencing suicidal thoughts that have caused this act or have even lost someone to this tragedy and felt the effects of this act. Once we learn about the different things related to this statistic, we can help our friends and family and make sure this doesn’t happen to them too. What do you want to be remembered for? Don’t be another statistic!
Hello everyone! Here is an essay I wrote in April that I wanted to share. 🙂
I wanted to live deep and suck out all the marrow of life… (Walden, 91)
I feel full of life. I want to experience life from every angle, shot, close-up, perspective, sensation, emotion. Why not…sue it for all its worth! (joking) You deserve to get the experiences you came here for. But it does come with responsibility (“too much is given much is expected”) and you have to do some tedious work and may have to go through the fire, valleys, and dark places at different times before it decides to reward you.
Now do this exercise with me for a moment…Think of yourself as an alien (like Clark Kent) for a second. You have never been to earth. You would look at the world with amazement wondering:
What do I try first?
Who can I talk to?
What can I do to make this planet better than it was before?
How can I adapt to and make a good life here?
We all start out this way as babies. Sometimes I still make a joke with my sister about how I: “Act like I am new to the planet sometimes with a million questions.” I seem to have a hyper awareness of myself too and really thinking about what it means to be human. So, one of the key things to sucking the marrow out of life is never losing your sense of wonder and interest in everything around you. I mean literally. Especially if you are one of the lucky ones whose brain works to full capacity and you have many resources and tools to make the life you want.
Someone once said: “We should squeeze life for every last drop.” This means getting the most out of every experience and enjoying it. If you have a bad experience try to find as many lessons hidden within it and really try to focus on any little good things that happened in this experience (minor details) or positive things that could happen as a result of it. “Nothing goes to waste in life.”
Lastly to get the essence out of life you must realize the importance of spreading the love, joy, wisdom, etc everywhere you go because “love increases as you give it away.” Use the goodness and strength you have drawn from the essence of your experiences to help and influence others for the good. There is no limit to what we humans can do to make our lives better and those around us.
Teddy bears are one of the first stuffed animals in America in the evolution of stuffed animals. Teddy bears first got started from a cartoon of Teddy Roosevelt refusing to shoot a bear. It appears that this cartoon even inspired Morris and Rose Michtom to make a bear in admiration of the president’s actions. The Michtoms called their bear “Teddy’s Bear” and placed it in the window of their store. It began to make a hit with the American public. By 1906 there were teddy bears everywhere and it was the hot object on the shelf (Clay).
This is saying that President Roosevelt was basically the starting point of the teddy bear and his name lives on through them. In here, I will discuss the background of teddy bears, how they are culturally important, how we can interpret them, and what teddy bears reveal about the American people. My teddy bear artifact is a treasured object that illustrates the presumed comfort in childhood in contemporary America.
The years 1920-1940 were a period where the teddy bear industry grew a lot and was a time where the manufacturing of them was also very affected by war, such as when the Great Depression hit the United States and when World War II broke out. The U.S. factories and workers turned to the war effort, which stopped the making of teddy bears. Instead, weapons were being made. In the 1920’s, a Schuco bear (named after the manufacturer) that said the words, “yes” and “no” was designed. This bear shakes its head yes or no, depending on how you pull its tail. Also in the 1920s and 1930s, musical and mechanical bears were popular, because the bears were made to walk, dance, play ball, and even turn somersaults. (Clay).
In the 1950’s through the 1970s, there was competition from eastern countries making inexpensive teddy bears, depending on the material and how complex they were made. Early teddy bears were filled with wood or kapok. Wood wool, made of thinly shredded wood, was once the most popular teddy bear stuffing. Wood wool can be dusty and is not washable, so it isn’t recommended for bears that will be used by children. It works well for making collectible teddy bears, because real early bear details are popular with collectors, such as the stuffing and shape (Mann, Christine).
The desire for washable toys made from synthetic fibers was popular in the post-war years. Consumers liked the thought of washable toys, so bears were made from nylon or acrylic plush, and had plastic eyes and foam rubber stuffing. (Clay). In the present day, a new kind of manufactured bear called the artist-designed manufactured bear, are given to the public by certain individuals and others. They give collectors the chance to own artist-designed bears that cost cheaper due to mass production. (Clay).
Artists bring quality to teddy bears, but at an affordable price. Also in present day, polyester stuffing is cheap and easy to locate. Inexpensive, simple to use, and obtainable everywhere, polyester filling is today’s most popular pick for making all sorts of stuffed animals, including teddy bears (Mann, Christine). Teddy bears have come a long way throughout their history, anyone can witness these changes if they have been around since they started. From simple bears, to mechanical bears, to the different materials, teddy bears really have evolved.
There is a process of how teddy bears are designed. Pieces of the bear are also drawn to be used in making a pattern. The pattern is cut out and put together, and the prototype bear is looked at for their defects. If the design stops the bear from sitting right, or if the prototype is not correctly cuddly or recognizable , the design is redrawn, shapes of pieces are remade, or different colors or fabrics may be used to make another prototype. More testing may be needed to get just the right design before it is ready for more extensive manufacture (Advameg). This shows us that teddy bear making is a fine art and that the manufacturers really want to make the finished product as perfect as can be. Perfection means that the teddy bear comes through the manufacturing process in one piece without any defects and is made with the idea of who it is being made for and what the audience is.
There are a number of famous bears who have been marked down in history such as: Baloo Bear from Jungle book ( a real bear), Barney Bear ( a dinosaur), Bernstein bears (a real bear), Goldilocks and the three bears (real bears), Winnie the Pooh Bear (a cartoon bear), and Yogi bear (a cartoon bear), (Chrissie). Prince Charles of England had a teddy bear that came with him to school. At Prince Charles 4th birthday party, they even played his favorite song, “The Teddy Bear’s Picnic” (Bull 104). I think this helped him have an extra source of comfort (since after all his birthdays had much more publicity than ours). I never knew that even people in royalty cherished their beloved stuffed animal. I myself grew up with knowing about these bears and attach warm memories with them. I hope there continues to be more themes with bears in them for children in the future.
Some of the older stuffed animals are being recognized as collector’s items and are worth a large sum of money if they are in good condition (D. Kevin). Adult collectors build on their childhood friends and often invest in limited editions or bears made from prized designs and rare materials (Advameg). “You may have some of them around your home or packed away that are more valuable than you ever imagined” (D. Kevin). I know a lady from my church who was in her 40s and had teddy bears all over her house of all different kinds. Almost anyone can get a teddy bear nowadays, so people of all cultures can have them.
Teddy bears can be a part of our lives in a variety of situations that occur over major life events. I think that kids are the first ones to use it. What birthday, anniversary, sickness, homecoming or departure would be perfect without a stuffed animal? As gifts, they mark and commemorate life events, from the most important to the smallest experience (Putnam). They give us feelings of safety because they were given out of love usually from a close family member. My mom had a teddy bear when she was little and so did I. We get them at different stages of our lives. I got a pooh bear when I was one years old. I got a teddy bear for my 13 birthday. I got another teddy bear when my mom died so that I could hug it when I felt sad. My bear certainly helped me by making the blow of her death a little less. I still have my mom’s teddy bear, although it is falling apart. These soft toys are often very treasured to us and can help us get through the hard times that come our way in life (D. Kevin). We know this teddy bear is a trusted friend who shares in our happy times and stays by our side through the more difficult times (Starwise Creations).
I attach a lot of memories with my stuffed animals particularly my Pooh bear because my dad would play with him right before I went to sleep and he sang Winnie The Pooh Bear songs with me in the hospital when I was at my worst. My other bear I got when my mom died also helped me get through the shaky times in my life. I think of this object is a link to my past and keeps the past alive in my heart. Those memories are like a badge that I wear showing how I’ve changed over time.
Teddy bears suggest certain kinds of relationships. Girlfriend/boyfriends give them to each other as a symbol of their love. My sister still keeps her teddy bear she got from her ex boyfriend. She kept her bear not because of her boyfriend but because she liked owning it and didn’t want to part with it. Why are they significant? These relationships are significant I think because of the memories that surround them being given to us. Our memories of love that we have whether it be from a childhood friend, a parent, or a girlfriend/boyfriend, are what keep us going and keep us strong.
Teddy bears tell us that kids still need to hang onto their childhood in some way. Its usefulness is important for kids. Donald Winnicott called such stuffed animals and blankets “transitional objects.” He also said that transitional objects take up an important place in children’s emotional lives as mechanisms by which they calm themselves as they separate their identities from those of their parents (Eallen). I think this is very true because when I was little I would hold onto my mom’s leg before I went to school and cry. I decided to take my koala bear stuffed animal to school with me, so I would calm myself down. Many times, children grow attached to their animals and blankets, naming them and talking to them (Eallen).
A child can hold onto a teddy bear when he or she is sad and take it with them on their first day of school, when they travel, during their times of play, and to help them fall asleep. “As kids, we love our teddy bears as if they were real people and a member of our family. We name them, feed them, clothe them, care for them, and take them on all the family vacations. When our teddy bears get sick, we nurse them back to health. When our teddy bears get dirty, we give them a bath” (Starwise Creations). We learn a lot about relationships and how to take care of others through practice on them.
Teddy bears also have been given to children who go to hospitals for major surgeries. Russell McLean was one of them. He had been afflicted all his life with illness and in fact spent much of his childhood in bed. His dream was to give teddy bears as presents to children the first night they are left there, alone and frightened (Bull 62). Now some doctors even advise children undergoing operations to bring their bears with them (Bull 67). My friend Paige said, “I got my epilepsy bear when I was nine months old. Its name is Mr. Bear. It goes with me in the hospital. It’s there during my M.R.I.’s and there before and after surgery. It goes through everything with me. When I am scared it makes me feel better. It’s very worn out and loved.” Teddy bears can also have beneficial effects on the suffering with mental distress.“It would seem that adults willingly turn to inanimate objects when the human element has let them down (Bull 67). I think our teddy bears are our loyal friends who can take all our hurt and anger and still love us no
matter what we do to them. As one author put it, “It puts up with its owner’s moods, doesn’t complain about the odd cuff to its head, or being thrown into the corner in a fit of temper” (Severin 11).
We can explain the need for teddy bears because further here, through looking at an experiment done with monkeys. The surrogate monkey for example, contact-need or responsiveness has been shown for the monkey and chimpanzee in the experiment and is suggestive of the devotion often displayed by human infants to their pillows, blankets, and soft, cuddly stuffed toys (Harlow 2). A real mother or surrogate mother offers a safety refuge during times of danger. “This responsiveness in times of distress, disturbance, or danger may be used as a measure of the strength of affectional bonds” (Harlow 9). The results also of the experiment with the cloth mother and baby monkeys showed that love for the real mother and surrogate
mother appeared to be very much alike. The baby monkey if it is not near its mother when it’s frightened, runs to her and in her presence finds comfort and restfulness (Harlow 19).
Just as Teddy bears get old and worn out when they are played, used, and handled–we also get old and lose our physical beauty. We can compare it to people. We all give and receive so much love throughout our lifetime and we all don’t physically last forever. One of my stuffed animals is flat and not fluffy anymore because I loved it so much. An object that we just keep in a box or still in a case is neglected and never got the chance to be loved by a person, it might
hold less meaning to us. “Worn-off fur, patches, and other signs of a teddy bears age, only serve to increase its charm and strengthen its bond with its owner” (Severin p 11).
Teddy bears have a very protective symbol in America. In modern times, the bear is still considered an image of strength, courage, and endurance. Bears share many characteristics with humans, including the capability to stand on two legs and to hug, and they also guard and protect their cubs (Advameg). We all know how fierce a bear can get when it protects it’s young and although mothers may not be fierce, most would do anything to protect and comfort their child when bad things happen. With these good connections to qualities we all need and want, bears serve as a good significance to all.
Teddy bears are toys that will never get outdated or old-fashioned. “In 1999, in just the United States, collectors purchased $441 million worth of teddy bears. Certainly, as we begin our journey through a new century, we certainly need the teddy bear’s gift of unconditional acceptance, love, and reassurance more than ever” (Clay ).
This is a lot of teddy bears still being bought, which proves some things don’t fade away with time. I think teddy bears will never get outdated or old-fashioned; I think they are classics in the long history of stuffed animals. That means I think people will always have an attraction to them and that they won’t lose their appeal to all audiences. Teddy bears show us how our society has progressed. The people who have teddy bears and pass them down can see how toys have changed over time through advancements in technology. The people who created stuffed animals must have liked working with toys and designing things for children. They saw a call for teddy bears and filled that need. Now there are many more kinds of toys out there, not limited to animals. Even though kids today seem to be more attracted to electronic devices than using their imaginations to play, stuffed animals are still being bought in great numbers. (D. Kevin).
In a world with increasing importance on technology, (let me reiterate) teddy bears remind us of our childhood and provide an infinite amount of fuzzy hugs (Advameg). Today, there are thousands of different types including the teddy bear out there for us to choose from (D. Kevin)
If we think how Americans prize comfortable lifestyles, then teddy bears seem like a necessity for a little kids well-being. As we get older our prized object for girls becomes clothes, shoes, and accessories. For boys, it may become cars or sports equipment. Still at the same time I believe, there’s not a certain age where we have to give away our teddy bears. I also think that teddy bears show that in our society people are naturally social creatures. We desire physical interaction and our sense of touch is important for us and children. For example, some people like the feeling of someone brushing their hair, rubbing their arm, doing their nails, or squeezing their hand. This means that some people’s love language is physical touch as Gay Chapman said (who came up with the five love languages). Also I would like to mention a story about “The Rescuing Hug,” that I got in an email. “There were two twins in an incubator and one was not expected to live. When they were placed together, the healthier of the two but her arm around the other and the smaller baby’s heart returned to normal.” We like to hug, play, and cuddle with these stuffed animals just as we do with people.
With all the books and movies about bears, as I mentioned earlier about famous bears, they permeate through our culture and they sure seem to have a lot of significance as an object. New versions of this dearly loved animal follow trends in movies, television, and toy fashion from character bears to beanbag like versions that are inexpensive and collectible (Advameg). A teddy bear has even flown on the NASA space shuttle in 1995 (Advameg). Most of the books and movies about bears also offer good morals and lessons for children that stay with them. This helps them hang onto their childhood. It is fun for kids to imitate something they see on T.V. or movies that are harmless. This shows that society in America still is aiming some positive messages to children, despite the bad stuff.
Teddy bears have made a great mark in history and still do today. Teddy bears have changed a lot through the years, as time went on, but that has only served to make them even more eye-catching to people of all ages. Teddy bears get old and worn out but that doesn’t make them less lovable nonetheless. Most of us have had a teddy bear or are going to own one of them sometime in our lives. All of us need close contact because we are naturally social creatures. Teddy bears have a wholesome message to them and I think that teddy bears, even in our electronic age, will never become just a thing of the past.
For some of you, you know that God exists, but do you know that he is concerned with all the small details of your life also? You are not just an object taking up space, you have meaning and worth. My name is Britney, and I wrote this essay, “Does God Know Who I Am,” because he felt far away and it didn’t seem he was receiving my prayers and cries for help. You are not just a social security number or just an ordinary person. You are a child of God, so always remember that. I hope that this essay will encourage you, like it has for me.
Do 6 billion people all have equal access to God and his love? Is an orphan really fatherless? Do my prayers only hit the ceiling? Is God asleep or on vacation like the god Baal in the Bible? If you get down to it, God must certainly be trying to keep His image up, because there is an angry mob knocking on heaven’s door, trying to get Him to answer their requests.
I felt as though if there were an inner circle where God was, I would never fit in. In school we have so many different groups and clicks. At church we have youth groups. In sports we have teams. The good part about being in God’s inner circle is that everyone qualifies. “Jesus loves all the children of the world,” is a great song to describe this. The only requirement to be in God’s inner circle is that you are human, so unless you are an alien, (which I hope you are not) you automatically have rights as being a child of God.
I am interceding for the world, “God please save us all! Not just me, we all are crying out for something real, some of just don’t know it yet.” I’ve gotten to the point where I’d rather God help everyone else first, there’s lots of people out there who are suffering a great deal more than me. But if He has a spare moment, an angel who is in between assignments let’s say, who has time off, (angels sure keep busy) happens to be in the area, and has nothing better to do, then please go right ahead and come to me. I’ll accept any sort of divine intervention there is! When you start to think of your fellow humans as brothers and sisters, you will care about their well-being and not try to keep God all for yourself.
I sometimes wonder if God remembers me. It’s as though I feel since He has to keep track of so many names, He must have trouble keeping up with it. If you think about facebook and how many other people have the same first and last name, you’ll get what I am saying. (Although, I haven’t found anyone with exactly my name!) It seems as though there is an identity crisis right now in the world. People don’t know their true nature and are seeking to only be what other people around them keep telling them they are. People who get told they are a certain way all their life will naturally stay that way. But God says you are pure love, always have and always will be. The state of your spirit is always constantly love; like the state of matter which in science says stays the same, it just changes form. God’s love really does stay the same and it does come in different forms. If God named the stars, knows how many hairs are in our heads, and knows how many grains of sand there are as the Bible verse says, what makes you think that God would have a memory problem now? There is a song that goes, “He knows my name. He knows my every thought. He sees each tear that falls and he hears me when I call,” Tommy Walker.
Does God give each of us equal attention? If God created the universe He can certainly listen to everyone at once. Everyone is His favorite and He loves us each of us the same. He holds everyone on his lap, just as Jesus held the little children in his arms and said, “Let the little children come onto me.” Become like a little child again and let him pick you up and rock you to sleep, feeling completely safe and secure again, as He tells you the great love He has for you.
If you consider for a moment, how many people occupy planet earth, now and ever has been, you may think you are unimportant or that no one will notice if you are gone. There is a song by Kutless that says, “I am not just a man, vastly lost in this world, lost in a sea of faces….” God has his eye on you, He watches every sparrow, and you can never ever be out of hearing or seeing range of God. Even if you are not an influential person, you are still important. Everyone has a part to play. He is always listening, always trying to speak to you, but are you listening back?
I wonder if God and his angels ever discuss our progress and our lives with a council meeting in heaven. Does He think some of us are too difficult and wish He never created us? Does He say, “This person is a flop, she/he is not going to do anything great with her life, hopefully the next person we choose for this mission will be better.” Or, “Get rid of this one, it’s not useful anymore.” Of course not. He would not send us to a dumpster, just because we stopped working. No, God loves us all the time, never wavering. He doesn’t decide to love us only on our good days. He is not a boss on earth who expects his employees to perform perfect all the time. He is the one encouraging us and working right besides us, like a partnership. So step right into His office, and plan on being treated with mercy and grace.
I thought if I fell off the edge of the earth, even then God wouldn’t find me. Even though that is physically impossible and irrational thinking, (I learned that gravity is always pulling us toward the center of the earth) I felt as though God has something against me, because He wasn’t helping me the way I wanted him to. But you got to accept help in whatever form it is, because any help at all is better than nothing! Life is more fun with surprises and that keeps life interesting. There is a Bible verse that says, “You shall seek me and find me when you seek me with all of your heart…” Keep on seeking God, sooner or later, you will get His return signal. There is another verse, “God rewards those who diligently seek Him.” I know this from firsthand experience. God can’t say no or turn away someone who is earnestly looking for Him.
We are all just visitors to planet earth in a way, just passing through, sharing our experiences as we walk the path together. God says today (as mentioned in Howards NDE), “I accept you. You belong here. I don’t make mistakes.” Remember these words as you navigate through life, (from one of my poems) “Nothing is ever lost. You are always found. Nothing ever slips out of God’s sight; you are always safe and sound.”
