319. The Bear Family
Dara was youngest of my four children and when the three older ones went off to school she created an imaginary bear family to keep her company. The bears went everywhere with us.
One day we had been at church where I worked on some projects and she played in the nursery with the bear family. Suddenly I realized time had slipped away and we needed to go, so I gathered her quickly and we rushed to the car.
Fifteen minutes away from the church she suddenly burst into tears. I kept driving but said, “What? What’s the matter?” With tears running down her cheeks she sobbed, “We left the bear family at the church.”
I assured her that they knew the way home and that when we got there, they would probably be there ahead of us. She was not convinced. The tears continued. I turned the car around and headed back to pick them up.
As we entered the church, the choir director was there and I said to Dara, “You run quick and get the bear family, while I talk here for a minute.” She scooted off as I explained to him what we were doing.
Suddenly she appeared around the corner, skipping joyfully and shouting happily, “Mama, you were right. They went home!”
It still was worth turning around for.
(This story can be found in the book Wisdom of Children and Questions for God by Ann Freeman Price.)
