As a special favor.. please send this out to everyone you know, and urge them to send it on. If it gets into the hands of just one parent who needs to stop hitting and yelling, and listen and love instead, my life will be so blessed. I now know who wrote this, even though it came to me unsigned. The author is Cindy Pike Dunning.

I dedicate this page to my three angels....... God bless each of you, and please God..bless and protect the children.

Teddy, I've been bad again,

My Mommy told me so;

I'm not quite sure what I did wrong,

But I thought that you might know.

When I woke up this morning,

I knew that she was mad;

Cause she was crying awful hard,

And yelling at my dad.

I tried my best to be real good,

And do just what she said;

I cleaned my room all by myself,

I even made my bed.

But I spilled milk on my good shirt,

When she yelled at me to hurry;

And I guess she didn't hear me,

When I told her I was sorry.

Cause she hit me awful hard, you see,

And called me funny names;

And told me I was really bad,

And I should be ashamed!

When I said, "I love you, Mommy,"

I guess she didn't understand;

Cause she yelled at me to shut my mouth.

Or I'd get smacked again.

So I came up here to talk to you,

Please tell me what to do;

Cause I really love my Mommy,

And I know she loves me, too.

And I don't think my Mommy means,

To hit me quite so hard;

I guess sometimes, grown ups forget.

How really big they are!

So Teddy, I wish you were real,

And you weren't just a bear;

Then you could help me find a way.

To tell Mommies every where.

To please try hard to understand.

How sad it makes us feel;

Cause the outside pain soon goes a way,

But the inside never heals!

And if we could make them listen,

Maybe then they'd understand;

So other children just like me,

Wouldn't have to hurt again.

But for now, I guess I'll hold you tight,

And pretend the pain's not there;

I know you'd never hurt me,

So Goodnight, Teddy Bear!

~Cindy Pike Dunning~

Love is patient; love is kind; love is not envious or boastful or arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice in wrongdoing, but rejoices in the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends.

~1 Corinthians 13:4-8