Day 813: Take Your Teddy Bear to Work Day

‘Celebrate October 11th with Take Your Teddy Bear to Work Day! While some may think you are just totally crazy, your Teddy Bear will likely thank you for it. October 11th has been set aside for the world to show appreciation for their Teddy Bears. Coworkers can meet your bear and introduce you to theirs.’


Travesty!  Not only did I forget to pack my teddy bear… BUT, ‘Take Your Teddy Bear to Work Day’ fell on ‘Columbus Day’ this year!  Oh, the humanity!  A lost Spaniard takes precedence over my sweet adorable Honey Jo Bear???  I called him Jo for short.


Jo was awesome… I took him everywhere… he even went to Hawaii with me!  He was cuddly AND a snappy dresser.

I’m sure Jo would be very proud if he could see the man I’ve become.  But… well… I have a confession.  I didn’t forget to pack Jo… we would have totally rocked Pakistan together… and Lord knows I could use a hug.  No, I lost Jo a long time ago.  I think I left him at a sleep over and never got him back… I can’t remember.  I think this is why ‘Take Your Teddy Bear to Work Day’ makes me so sad.  I shared so much of my life with Jo… and now?  Well, he’s just a distant memory.


My parents gave him to me for Christmas when I was very young… and for many years we were inseparable… and then, ‘poof, like Keyser Soze, he was gone.”  I wonder if he’ll ever find his way home… maybe this Christmas will be the year we’ll be reunited… I think I saw him on eBay (hint, hint!)


Anyway, Teddy Bears are very special.  I gave Grayson a new Teddy Bear on his first day in Washington, DC after we joined the Foreign Service… I figured he could use a travel buddy.  Grayson named him Jo-Jo and they are inseparable… just like I was with Jo… and that’s awesome.