The Journey

Hello again,

We are embarking on a new year filled with opportunities for change and making a positive difference for us and others. As you all know when we embark on a journey, whether work or personal, there are opportunities, successes, roadblocks and events which impact and alter our course and plans. It has been a journey for me as I have created these therapeutic toys for children.

There are many wonderful organizations that help children; but unfortunately, there are so many children that do not receive help because they are afraid to communicate.

When I think of the children who were battered literally to death it greatly saddens me. I remember caring for these children. Our system is not able to save everyone as you and I want. No matter how well meaning we are, there are many children who are not helped. As there is intervention, it seems as if the parent has a sixth sense that they had better move on before the child can be saved. Then the family disappears, leaving in the middle of the night and there is no saving……

Each time I heard about a child that has been involved in a traumatic event, I realized that other solutions are needed to help both the children and the provider of care whether it be the physician, psychologist therapist, social worker, nurse, teacher, or caretaker.

The UNCF has the motto, “A mind is a terrible thing to waste.” .” I believe each of us can help a child to mend, to be all (s) he is destined to be. Healing the mind, body, emotions and spirit of children is critical, for them and for us, for our children are our future. Although it seems difficult and at times overwhelming, it is so important for all of us with or without children, to do our part in helping in this journey of healing, “mending me.”

So, I started my journey of “what can I do to help all children be safe or at least safer? I started seeing this heart that was broken but then over time with support and nurturing begin to heal. I started “drawing” and creating all kinds of hearts until I knew, this heart was the one; I created the mending heart*.

I knew there needed to be more than just a heart because this impacted the whole child, mind, body, spirit, emotions. I wanted the child to displace their feelings onto a soft cuddly toy so that the child was not transferring to a real animal or a real person. So, I created three plush toys for the mending heart to reside in. The hearts are accessible to the child. The mending toys are plush so the child can hold them close and feel softness, allowing them to cuddle the toy. It provides an avenue of communication for the child and the provider, counselor, therapist, teacher. It offers another chance for the child to begin healing, “mending me.”

Say tuned next week as I continue to share about my journey.

* Patent pending

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