Michelle Tolman’s care bear

When I was a child, my friend Michelle Tolman had a care bear that was made by her mother.

This post would be more impactful with a picture. I considered getting in touch with Michelle - “Hi Michelle. I hope the last 25 years have been good. I keep thinking about your care bear. Do you have a picture?” - but I thought it might be weird.

Michelle Tolman’s care bear didn’t look like the ones in the shops. I was slightly repulsed by it. It was *wrong*.

One day I asked Michelle if she minded her care bear being *wrong*. She said that she didn’t see her care bear as wrong at all. She thought it was unique and beautiful. No one else had a care bear like hers.

I think we all grow up with an idea of what a human being is. We compare ourselves to it and think we are wrong. Imagine if instead we all thought we were unique and beautiful, like Michelle Tolman’s care bear.