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.
