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Posts: 8,574Sue Ann
You are SO right! I believe that it is a fine line we tap dance back and forth across, throughout our lives.
It is just so sad that some folks never find their teddybear. I am so glad you did. I am so glad you are here.
Who knows who might read your story and find the inspiration in it needed to turn their own life around.
It takes courage to share, but once we do we discover we aren't alone in the world. I sometimes think it is pain that binds us together, it is helping others through pain that teaches us compassion, and it through compassion we become better souls here on earth.
A very gentle bear hug
Dilu 
PottersHouse BearsA message for all you mamas,
Take the time to enjoy your children now. One day you will turn around and those babies will be all grown up. It seems like just last week my son was just a little guy and today he's a married man. Of course I can now look forward to grandchildren to spoil.
Fool's Gold BearsWell, Penny....................We're waiting!! I want to know what it's like to hoot like a drain...;) Hee, Hee! Did you mean crane??
The suspense is killing me. If you don't tell here, you'll have to email all of us separately. What was up with the games masters that he was suspected of having a heart attack? Did he overdose on Viagra??
Fool's Gold BearsYou could say I'm a bearmaker by default, although I don't see it that way. To me It seems it was by design. I first set out to become a doll maker, but along the way reality brought me up short, as an empty pocketbook prevented my appearance at the gala doll event of the 1993 season.
Sad and weary was I, a would-be reveller, now steeped in misery over my pitiful plight. Seeking distraction, I'd sewn up a new project from a teddy bear pattern that just happened to be lying about.
Somewhat amused, I stood gazing into the furry little face of this new creature in my hands. Then, unnoticed at first, like patchy fog creeping in... slowly, barely tangible, a scintillating childlike wonder was stealing over my senses, calling me , enveloping me--then suddenly, without warning it came: First a subtle "Twangg!!" and immediately, the sharp impact! "Thawakk!!!!"
Aghast, I find myself reeling! Falling! Swooning, careening out of control! Tumbling, thumping, bumping head over heels, at long last I come to rest-- dizzy, out of breath, and all dignity askew. I Grapple to regain a modicum of composure, my pulse yet dancing a merry jig in my chest, when abruptly the mind-pleating deja vu alights: Queerly, despite the absurd attack, that very same feeling of beguiled amusement which launched this lunacy remains unabated in my senses, and with it, a faint touch of giddiness. Strange contradictions aside, however, there seems no immediate cause for alarm.
Gradually, as my blood pressure decompresses and the tingling begins to wane, my senses regain their focus. No sooner though, have I thought myself to be compsed and back in my right mind, when yet another stunning shock arises. To my utter confusion I discover that the furry object of my diversion is still planted firmly within my grasp! “what in the world?...How could...??”, and then slowly, over my befuddled grin dawns the glimmer of understanding. “Teddy Bear Cupid has shot his teensy little arrow into my unsuspecting heart”, I muse. “He's whispered his teddy love song in my ear, and I shall never be the same.”
Past Time BearsWhew, Laure! Think you could have a great career as a novelist, too! 
Laura and Dilu . . . thank you for your kind and thoughtful reponses to my "story" and I appreciate the hugs!
Baird'sBearsAll your stories are wonderful!! I certainly understand the depression. I spent 8 years coping with my OCD ridden daughter, with no time for anything else. None. She slept and woke at odd hours, and kept trying to turn herself into the police as a danger to society. We spent hours every day of 'exposure' therapy' -- I forced her to hold knives or scissors aimed at me or one of the pets until her anxiety level dropped. Watching her suffer so much, and having to force her through all this pain was very stressful, not to mention the strain of constantly bargaining with her high school, which was no help at all even though she was designated Special Ed.
I finally started showing the classic symptoms of depression. It's the worst illness I've ever been through. I was lucky enough to recognize the symptoms, and finally managed to drag myself to my doctor. Thanks to the Zoloft she prescribed and therapy with my daughter's psychologist, I started feeling better. About that time, Alex (my daughter) gave me a huge polar bear for Christmas--not very expensive, but 4 feet long and very realistic. The rest of the family thought we were daft, and got awful frights when they came on my bear in the dark, but Alex clearly knew what I needed!
Her psychologist suggested I start healing by doing something every day that I wanted to do. This was a new and revolutionary idea for me!! By now I'm into it full time, but back then it wasn't easy. Some days I thought I wanted to clean the oven. 
The therapist told me to try something else. I wasn't looking very hard, but when I found the world of artist bears, I knew this was IT. I haven't cleaned the oven in a long time!
Alex has just finished her first year at the University of Toronto with straight A's, and I'm feeling new at 60, which ain't bad! As far as I'm concerned, 60 is the new 30!!
Eileen
DoodlebearsWow! You girls and your stories, phew you really have had me glued to the screen reading your posts. I am so glad that I started this topic. I now can see just how wonderful our bears are. They have obviously helped us all out in many ways. BIG CHEER FOR THE BEARS!!!!!
Laure you sure your not really a closet novelist? With your word grasp you sure could make it. You remind me so much of my daughter Sarah. Sarah loves to write and she wrote a fan fiction for Diagnosis Murder. The story is really good so if anyone is a fan of Dignosis Murder let me know and I will let you know the web address so you can read the story.
SueAnn Thanks so much for sharing your story, it is so good that you have found something to help you through a dark period of your life, I too know how hard it is to fight back this devastating condition WELL DONE YOU!! pat yourself on the back and smile a huge big smile and keep making your lovely bears. I really love Sorbet what a cutie such a fantastic colour!
I too was a stay at home Mum and three of my five children had home schooling and know one of my home schooled kids has just finished his third film. He has always loved acting and hopes to be able to carry on in films. My daughter is just finishing her degree and is planning to be a doctor. My other son was home educated because of medical problems and will always be at home with us as he is autistic.
Jane
http://www.doodlebears.co.uk
Posts: 8,574Hey Laure- When's the next chapter.......love it :D
Dilu
Fool's Gold BearsSue Ann,
Laura,
Somehow I missed your posts, until I saw a post on P.2 of this thread that made me realize I had missed something, so I went back and read.
Glad you've made it, girls. Life can be so terribly tough. There was a period of time when I think antidepressants might have done me good, but with God's love and the arms and prayers of my friends I've come through it. My teddy bears were very patient with me, as at the time, I barely paid any attention to them at all, although it was still a comfort to know they were there.
Kindred Hugs,
Past Time BearsThanks to all of you girls for your kind thoughts. I'm supposing most of us have been through some bad times and by "hook or crook" we've arrived at this very place, at this very second. Hooray for us!!
We can all form a huge virtual circle and give ourselves and each other a virtual hug.
Jane, thanks much for your compliment on Sorbet! She is the last of my "BabyCakes" collection. A hug for your autistic son.
Posts: 3,177
My grandson Joshua who i went to visit this weekend - i'm exhausted!
I could'nt possibly tell you all the outcome of the story but a certain little bird knows!
Wonky Dilu, hooting like a drain = laughing like a loon!
Penny
Past Time BearsJoshua is adorable!! Penny, do drains hoot in the UK?? I know loons laugh, but didn't know about the drains. Our drains gurgle. 
Actually, this message board is a hoot!!
Posts: 3,177Hiya Sue Ann.
Yes our drains over here hoot like owls, it's probably the amount of rain we get - how strange that yours gurgle, i like the sound of that!
Joshua is lovely is'nt he, although i would have to admit to being biased. The piccy was taken about a month ago now and he has developed a unique little character now, fortunately it's a very happy one!
Penny
P.S. Only kidding about our drains hooting Sue Ann - they just gurgle like yours! I don't have a clue where the silly saying came from but i'd love to hear drains hooting would'nt you?
Baird'sBearsAww, Penny,
Joshua is a love!! Lucky you. I adore baby cheeks!! :)
Eileen
Fool's Gold BearsPenny,
Joshua is sooo cute!! Aren't grandbabies the greatest? My baby (of 6) had baby Isaac in January. I could just eat him up, I love him so!!!
Sue Ann, I took a peek at your very charming Shiloh, but when I clicked the link for Hallie, I got a message that told me I made a bad request, and that the link I followed is incorrect or outdated. I'm disappointed, and now I feel like I'm in trouble for making a "bad request". Not really, just making a point that it would have seemed gentler if the message had said "Sorry." instead. Quy, was that your wording?
Hugs,
DoodlebearsPenny I love the picture of Joshua, what a cutie! Thanks so much for sharing him with us. As for British drains they are a pain, well mine anyway, three times in the last month I have found nasty slugs lurking in the drain. I have a mesh over it plus a full drain cover but the nasty slippery little varmits still find their way in.
Jane
http://www.doodlebears.co.uk
http://www.craftyfolksads.co.uk
Posts: 3,177URGHHHHHH! Slugs AND drains Jane
what a pain
we get too much
of the stuff called rain
Bet you did'nt know i was a poet eh?
Hugs
Penny:P
P.S. Having said that we get too much rain just look at the colour of the sky outside my window today - it's luverly!
P.P.S. My piccy won't load! ARGHHHH!
P.P.P.S Fixed it!
Baird'sBearsNice poetry and piccy, Jane! :D
Marie, my mom used to kill the little slimers in her garden with salt. 
Nasty business, but it worked. I manage to keep them away from my hostas with a ring of copper tubing--I've heard they won't slither over it. Maybe one of these would work in a drain?
Hooting English drains make me think of Mrs. Lopsided in "The Ladykillers" :lol:
Eileen
Posts: 8,574Penny
what we need around here are a few laughs....everyone is so terribly dour.....NOT!.......
I am absolutely WONKY GREEN ( a color between pea soup and army green) with envy. Joshua is too cute for words!
I want to be a grandma----my son the PETA Prince just doesn't seem to want to settle down ARGH!!!!!
I like the PETA Princess he is going with now- but her name always throws me
Lysistrada
Some Greek lady who got all the gals to withhold sex until the men stopped a war.....He calls her Lysi- which is good, cuz Lysistrada sounds like a BACTERIA that causes something horrible....actuallyt I'm thinking of listeria, which also has problems
Oh well
Eileen......your therapist is so right....we should all go do something we really WANT to do. Hark! I think I hear the toilet calling me......'come scrub....come scrub......come scrub..............
Wonky Dilu with Hooting Drains and Talking toilets
Past Time BearsMrs. Lopsided???!!! What NOW?? LOVE the King's English!! Hooting drains, indeed!
Laure, you didn't make a "bad" request . . . I just didn't have Hallie's id# in place when you tried to look at her - it's fixed now. Thank goodness for Quy!!
Baird'sBearsShe's called Lysistrata? Dear God in Heaven!! That's the naughtiest of naughty Greek comedies Doesn't seem to fit with serious PETA, somehow!! Better warn your son . . .
Eileen
Posts: 8,574Eileen, It is a little scarry- whats worse? Her makeup is out of the 50's. But underneath all that makeup she is really quite pretty. I hope her style changes. All I looked up was her name.....naughty huh?
I'm familiar with some Greek stuff, mostly tragedy.
Of course now I will have to look her up in seriousness.
Oh well, on a happier note-the purple PETA bear is stuffed and jointed. Missing ears and features.
a very tired Dilu (had to get up at 3:30 with my honey-what a long day......
As for warning my son? He's 30.....I can worry, I can pray, but I gotta keep my mouth closed.....darn 
Back Road BearsDaphne was a Greek godess who was turned into a Laurel tree by a god because she wouldn't marry him! (Or it goes something like that anyway!!) I was never into Greek mythology but I wanted to know who I was named after! (Actually my parents were going through Webster's Dictionary when they found 'Daphne'.) I don't know as anyone should be allowed to name another being a Greek name!!! It's a curse! (The kids in school called me Daffy Duck!) I feel bad for Lysi... unless she LIKES her name.... then I feel even worse for her! :D
Daphne, not the Duck
Kiprie BearsHi Ladys, You are all so kind to share your storys.
I read all post in this topic yesterday. :o
I had hold my teas (i i) and I told to husband about it.
I really think life is tough sometime...
but I'm glad you are all in bear wold now.
I began making bears from 2002 and start design my own
1year ago...I study from books and took e-class at
e-bearz which has change my bear-life dramatic.
Now I'm ready to be a Bear Artist(May be in few years later...)and give a try to my original bears. I will attending to show this summer(JUL05)which is my first show!
It will be held in Tokyo so I may not see
anybody in here but I will let you know how it goes.
Now, I'm making 2bear per week with my full power :mad:
I usually makes only 1 or 2bears in a month!!! so I'm not sure how many bears I can bring to show but my family and
friends are so supportive . I kept talking about bears all day
and night but nobody complaint to me(yet!!) I'm so glad that I started making bear because It gave me chance to
know all great artist in world.
I really wish I'd discovered this years ago, but I guess it's never too late to discover what you really want to do when you grow up, right!?
Eileen, Yes I feel that way too! but later is better than never!
I just need to thank my life turn out to be like this :P
but I'm sure a LOT happier now (and so is hubby!)
Laura, Definitely !!!!!
BIG BEAR HUGS/Marie
Past Time BearsMarie, I'm so glad you are a part of the teddy bear world. No matter where we are on this earth, we know we have a connection with those whose passion is making bears . . . or collecting them - or whatever else that is related to teddies. I love to read your posts, so keep coming back, and I'll look forward to hearing about your first show!
