Well, specifically, Theodore J. Geiger (He has chosen to not take my married name and keep his last name as an homage to his German/Swiss heritage.)
He's had quite a few reconstructive surgeries over the years to remove an old leaky (battery acid) music box and for a new nose and mouth (because as I child I chewed them off apparently) and his paws are kind of about to fall off. The stuffing has settled/clumped to give him a lopsided head and his eyes have glue residue from where I once put stickers on them. M thinks he is the scariest looking thing since the movie It.
To me, he just looks loved.
But here's my quasi-dilemma. He lives in my closet. He doesn't live on my bed and I don't sleep with him or use him at all. He's still there in my closet. I just can't find the heart to get rid of him. And besides, how would I even do that? I can't just throw him away. That recalls frightful memories of the Velveteen Rabbit story I heard as a child. But I'm not sure if I can just keep him around in my closet.
I love the quote by William Morris "Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful."
Teddy is not useful and he is not beautiful (which I take to mean, he's not something I would want to display in my home). So what to do? He's also not the kind of toy that someone else would want to play with. I mean, he's over 30 years old! He's worn out and weird looking.
Do I just keep him around? Do I get rid of him? Do I have someone make him into something else to keep? Have any of you dealt with getting rid of a longtime childhood toy? What did you do with it or do you still have it?
This is a tough question and I'd feel the same way. I think the best advice I have is to do whatever it is that feels right to you. I like that quote too, but sometimes it's ok to break the "rules". Good luck girl!!
ReplyDeleteI keep my two most beloved childhood playthings in my closet too. When I dig through there looking for something and see them, it makes me happy. I would never throw mine away either.
ReplyDeleteYeah. That what others have suggested. Just keeping it there for when I want to be reminded.
DeleteI should add, though, that when I dig through my closet looking for something else and see my old friends, I feel bad for abandoning them to the back of the closet.
ReplyDeleteOMG me too! Maybe I should make him a nice bed (box) to sleep in.
DeleteHe may not be useful or beautiful anymore, but he is irreplaceable. I assume you don't have a closet FULL of old toys? I don't see anything wrong with keeping a few childhood treasures.
ReplyDeleteI agree! And he is the only toy survivor from my childhood.
DeleteThat rule is my motto... however, I say keep. Could you add patchwork to him and freshen him up for when you have children? Some things should be kept.
ReplyDeleteI would keep him. I have a doll named The Boy even though it's a girl. It looks awful but I'd never throw it out. It's the only thing like it I have from my childhood.
ReplyDeleteI'll keep him for you. I know that you will want him back someday:) He's too important to throw away. Besides, I have slipped around the corner and heard you singing to him many times.
ReplyDeleteYou must keep him! You could have him sewn to a pillow - after stuffing removed. Great way to keep him close, Kat
ReplyDelete