The Doll That Never Stop Breathing
Once in a thousand years, there lived a doll. First owner, a three year old-female child, loved her doll for its appearance. For eighty years she kept the doll so neat and beautiful. A day later after her eighty-fourth birthday, she entrusted the doll to a granddaughter.
Ten years later, the doll was left inside a train and was never seen again. The doll was picked up by different persons, young and old, and was dropped many times in different train stations for one whole year.
One afternoon, a homeless female child was walking along the side of the railway and found the doll after being ran over. The child picked up the doll and wept after seeing the doll ripped and flattened. Having no money to buy a new doll for herself, she went to a cobbler and asked if the cobbler can still repair the doll. The child wants to keep it as a companion. The cobbler sneered, telling the child that the doll is hopeless because its body is already torn and severely damaged. The child insisted that if the cobbler can repair the doll she will give him a gift at a later time when she becomes rich. The cobbler laughed and said, "How can you be rich anytime soon when you grow up?... You don't even have a permanent house to live in."
The child responded, " I will be rich someday because that doll that you are holding right now will give me the house that you can possibly imagine!"
"I don't believe in luck, " said the cobbler, "but I will help you anyway. Come back after two days! I will do my best to repair this doll of yours."
The child returned after two days. She was elated for seeing the doll in the cobbler's hand like a brand new doll. The cobbler said, "I had a daughter too. Same as your age, but she died early because of leukemia."
The child was saddened and said, "I will treat this doll like it's your own daughter. I will take care of her the way I take care of myself."
The cobbler sobbed and said, "The sweet laughter of my lost daughter whom I loved so dearly when she was still alive is the only gift she left in my memory."
"One day, all young daughters who would need a doll as a companion shall have one like this!" The child thanked the cobbler and left.
One afternoon while the child was holding her doll and standing beside the front door of a church, she was spotted by an old lady. The lady asked, "How old are you? Are you alone? Where are your parents?..."
The child replied, "I know I am six, but I don't know my birthday. I only celebrate my birthday on Christmas day. I know what the word "parents" means, but I live alone and live everywhere."
"I have a small house and I stay in my house alone. If you have no place to go, I want you to stay with me, together with your doll that you are holding right now."
"Really??!!" the child replied with great relief.
Eight years later, the child was able to finish elementary schooling and was grateful to the old lady who stood for her as guardian and parent.
Eight more years, the once vagrant child grew up and developed a better sense of belongingness with everybody in the community where the old lady raised her.
After her graduation in college, the full grown child and now a lady expressed her gratitude to the old lady who adopted her for giving her a chance to live a normal life.
The old lady smiled with a warm embrace saying, "The doll that you still keep with you is my inspiration in life. When you once told me that it is only your doll that cares for you, I didn't hesitate to welcome you in my life. I was never married, but the way you value your friendship and bonding with your doll, or whatever it is, you gave me a better meaning of what life is all about!..."
... ... ...
This is the story of the doll that never stop breathing for somebody else. In the mind and body of an innocent child who never lose hope, a simple toy like a doll can change anybody's perspective and make believe that the physical world is a better place to live in. Do you have a doll at home?
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