Happy Birthday Sophia

Raggedy Ann’s Secret

By Grandma Baadsgaard

Happy Birthday precious Sophie. I think you already know the secret.

Once there was a Raggedy Ann doll who just wanted to be loved. She was so desperate for love that she searched and searched and searched for someone to love her. But everyone she found was too busy thinking about their own problems and looking for someone to love them.

Raggedy Ann was discouraged. Everybody around her was downhearted.

How can I find someone to love me if everybody is looking for someone to love them? This is not working. I think I need to learn more about love.

Raggedy Ann decided to go on a learning journey and find the people who knew the secret of love. First she found a newborn baby. But the baby was crying. Raggedy Ann picked up the baby and said soft words while she hugged the baby. The baby stopped crying and smiled.

Raggedy Ann took out her notebook and wrote, “Love says soft words and hugs a lot.”

Next Raggedy Ann found a toddler but the child was too busy learning how to walk. The toddler kept falling down until it stayed down and whimpered.

Raggedy Ann picked up the toddler and said, “That’s Okay. Everybody falls down sometimes. Just get back up and try again.”

The toddler stopped whimpering and tried again.

Raggedy Ann took out her notebook and wrote, “Love picks people up and encourages them to try again.”

Next Raggedy Ann found a school age child who was sitting alone at lunch time looking awfully lonely. She walked up and sat next to the child.

“Can I sit by you?” Raggedy Ann asked.

“Why sure,” the lonely child said. “Sit right here. You want some of my desert?” she answered with a smile.

“Sure,” Raggedy Ann answered.

Raggedy Ann took out her notebook and wrote, “Love looks for someone who is lonely and makes a friend. Love shares treats and smiles.”

Next Raggedy Ann found a young mother with many children but she was too busy trying to clean and fix supper. She looked tired.

Raggedy Ann walked up to the mother and said, “Can I watch your children while you take a nap?”

“Oh, thank you,” the mother said. “I am so tired.”

Raggedy Ann took out her notebook and wrote, “Love helps people when they are tired.”

Next Raggedy Ann found an old man who looked sad.

“What can you teach me about love,” Raggedy Ann asked the old man.

“If you are kind, you have lots of friends. If you are mean you have lots of enemies.”

Raggedy Ann took out her notebook and wrote, “Love is kind.”

That’s when Raggedy Ann knew the secret  . . .  She took out her notebook and wrote, “Love is a choice to be kind, pick people up, say soft words and hug a lot.”

“I can do that,” Raggedy Ann said.

Then Raggedy Ann grew up and had many children of her own. She made lots of friends. She loved her friends and family with all her heart. Some of her friends and family loved her back and some were too busy with their own problems. She didn’t let that stop her. For now she knew the secret of love.

“I can’t control how many people love me, but I can control how many people I love,” Raggedy Ann said.