A few years ago a loved one of mine was losing his battle with leukemia. In visiting him in his last days I also spent some time with his young son. The thought about him losing his father at such a young age had me wondering how he was going to cope.

 

The day came when we lost our beloved Rodney and while driving to his funeral I had an idea that I thought would help his young son manage with his daddy’s death; I stopped and purchased a teddy bear and when I arrived to the funeral home I took young Isaiah by the hand, went in to a quiet room and handed him the teddy bear. Taking out a pair of scissors, I told Isaiah “cut the bear’s ear off.” He looked at me in confusion and I explained to him that this bear was going to let him talk to his daddy whenever he needed because daddy was going to have the ear with him. We walked to where his daddy lay and he held the ear up to his mouth and softly said “I love you daddy,” we placed the bear’s ear in Rodney’s pocket.

 

A little while later Isaiah walked by me holding the bear and when little boy came up to him and asked him where the bears ear was, he replied ”my dad has it.” I knew right then that this would help him and could help others too.