The material presented
here is not Al-Anon Conference Approved Literature. It is a method
to exchange
information, ideas, feelings, problems and solutions on a personal
level.
I was cleaning out my bedroom and ran into an OLD and DEARLY loved friend!!! His name is Mr. Bunny....Here is his story...
I was 15 and walking down this path at the Cape Cod, Massachusetts summer home we had and i found this UGLY bunny rabbit...he was BUTT ugly.. head was not ripped off but wobbly, dirty, the fuzz on his body was filthy and dirt stained--It was hard to see that he was a soft baby blue and white...his ears were droopy and I SWEAR I saw what looked like "tear" stains on his withered cheeks....I thought I was looking at me and my whole life..
he was abandoned on this equally unkempt and ugly/neglected park bench where the remaining scraps of peeled green paint was chipping and was ageing and weathered from many winters of use and neglect..and here this bunny is sitting and this was the hard part!!! His arms were open wide--As if to say "someone PLEASE come want me"..Oh I could relate to him..I wanted to cry!! He looked like I FELT my entire life..Hopeless, but a tiny flame within not wanting to give up just yet...
My heart lurched, seeing this stuffed toy, left--discarded by some child , no doubt, who got a "better" toy to play with and dumped mr. bunny on the bench
I scooped him up in my arms and carried him to a laundry mat...I went into the laundry mat, clutching my dirty, needy friend and all I had was a quarter in my jeans... A kindly young mother with a pack of unruly kids in tow, felt sorry for me and paid for "mr. bunny's" bath, soap and all...I sat next to her and watched my friend do a "spin" round and round the see through door of the washer, the soap shooing away all the dirt and junk off his body...he spun and gyrated around for over 1/2 hour until he "spun" to a stop...
I pulled him out after he had "spun dry" in the washer and I carried him home and stuck him under my covers... i slept with that old rabbit for decades and now I got him in my cedar chest... NO WAY will I ever part with that beat up old bunny
in '78 I had a cyst on my breast and guess who came with me and snuggled with me pre-op and post-op?? Mr. Bunny...When the stuff really hits the fan, I pull him out of the cedar chest and hold him....
He is semi retired now, I cuddle my stuffed spider or my stuffed ducky, or another nice toy quite a bit now, because if the dogs should ever get playful, I would rather it be mr. ducky or cousin spider who get a bit "injured" than my blue and white bunny...He's put in his time!!! I love him....I swear he possesses feelings!! Its a real surreal experience when I pull him out, clean, loved, given a 2nd chance at love and it shows on his "fuzzy" and grateful body as I hold him to me and I think of that day when I found him and could sooo relate to his pain and loss... I , too, was unwanted and treated horribly or I was neglected and ignored and devalued.... Yes, I related to him!!
__________________
Live and let live and do it with peace and goodwill to all!!!!
Sweet, honest sharing, Neshema. You and Mr. Bunny have gone through a lot and are both here now to tell the story of being picked up, washed up and tenderly loved. The difference between the two of you is that he just lays there in his bunny state, but you? You go out and give what you wanted and needed so much and you receive it, too. You could have chosen just to lay there, too, in your wounded state. But, you've chosen instead to get up, get help for your wounds and tend to others' wounds, too. Rather than be the victim of your story, you've chosen to be the heroine in it. I think that's pretty special.
A great share, Rose... just what I wanted to hear this Sunday morning. I am energised and inspired...! 