DIGNITY

Dignity (aka Teddy Bear)

I knew I wanted Dignity when I saw him at the second store. Dignity started his life with me sitting on a clean chaise lounger, in the entryway of my favorite secondhand store. Kenny and I ended up buying the chaise lounger. While he was loading the lounger I paid and put Dignity on top. *It was a surprise for Kenny when we were unloading the lounger.

Over the next serval weeks ideas came a went. While walking through Target I found the missing piece for Loads of Dignity. Sitting there, on the top shelf in the toy aisle, was the most amazing vision. Somehow someway I knew this would benefit Loads of Dignity in many ways. It was Dignity’s first washing machine. They go hand and hand.

When you look at Dignity is he bigger than most teddy bears. He has a welcoming smile that would pull anyone in. He is clean, fluffy and, if one was so inclined to, wouldn’t think twice about giving him a hug.

Would you think less of “Dignity” if you knew his past? Knew that he was bought from a secondhand store. Many of us, when we think of a secondhand store, may have the image that the items are broken, dirty, outdated, and smelly. Take another look at “Dignity”. Do you think any of those when you first saw him? Did you think anything different when I first told you about where I bought him? Or think it was really odd I would post a picture of a big fluffy teddy bear on a nonprofit site? Let alone a site that helps restore dignity by offering clean laundry and showers.

In the above example, you looked at the teddy bear and possibly thought “oh what a cute, larger than most, teddy bear.” On this day Dignity was not judged by his past.

Let’s think of Dignity as a child’s teddy bear, or if your child and/or grandchildren had a blanket. Dignity will be used to describe the word and meaning of Dignity.

As young children and some for many more years later, have a security item. This item will help ease fears of going to sleep, starting a new daycare, and experiencing new things. This item will also be used when they cuddle up on mom/dad’s lap as they need extra time to feel comfortable before bed. As parents, we depend on those items too. Making sure our child emotionally feels safe, courageous to take on the world, and secure to put themselves to sleep at night also gives us peace. This item, if a teddy bear, might be our children’s first best friend.

If you had any of these items when you were younger I hope only happy thoughts come to you when you think of that item.

Now, if a stranger came running up as your child was carrying their teddy bear and took it you would obviously be angry and go run after the stranger, right? This would be because this item was a part of your child’s emotional health, strength, and they deserve to have that item back immediately. Nobody has any right to just come and steal it.

Now looking at the perspective of an adult. They have a past, we all do, which might include losing a job, escaping a bad situation, and/or moving out of a city that would not be beneficial for one that is in rehab. Whatever the situation they should have their item as a child has theirs. Only this item you can’t see. This item is an emotional feeling that is just as important as the child’s item only when it gets stolen nobody is there to chase the person down that took it and nobody will know that it was lost.

If you take the time to listen without an agenda, watch body language, and maybe the “wall” they have built up, you will be able to tell they have lost their teddy bear or blanket.

Therefore “Restoring Dignity” is so important. No matter of our past, sorry nobody is perfect, our choices probably look different, but we all need “DIGNITY”!

I am blessed to watch so many of my guests receive their teddy bear or blanket back each week!

Oh, and what does Loads of Dignity’s 1st washing machine have to do with this? Well, nothing…I just thought it was cute and would be a great addition to my Loads of Dignity office. Of course, if you have a better way to use it then let me know. BTW, it really does spin the little clothes