Jolena has been learning about her new existence. The other girls have been teaching her. This morning, Mandy asked her, “Jolena, do you know what are we?”
Jolena knew the answer to that: “We’re dolls.”
“Well, we are…and we aren’t,” Mandy explained. “This is a doll,” she said, holding out something in her hand.
In her hand was a tiny doll from many years ago. “This doll belonged to a child who lived in the 1800s.”
“That doesn’t look like us at all!” Jolena pointed out.
“That’s because we’re more realistic. Dolls are made by people so they and their children can learn about life and practice what they learn. When dolls are realistic, like us, people can use their imagination for something besides pretending we’re real.”
“We start out as realistic dolls,” Mandy went on, “but when we come out of our boxes, our existence starts. We evolve into something more, almost a form of life, related to human life.”
“You mean we change into something better?” Jolena wanted to know.
“That doesn’t look like us at all!” Jolena pointed out.
“That’s because we’re more realistic. Dolls are made by people so they and their children can learn about life and practice what they learn. When dolls are realistic, like us, people can use their imagination for something besides pretending we’re real.”
“We start out as realistic dolls,” Mandy went on, “but when we come out of our boxes, our existence starts. We evolve into something more, almost a form of life, related to human life.”
“You mean we change into something better?” Jolena wanted to know.
“Yes, sort of. Better, more suitable for existing outside our boxes,” Mandy agreed. “Then we can help people practice and imagine different activities and situations.”
Jolena nodded solemnly. She understood, because she went through that experience herself when she arrived at her new home not long ago...in her box.
“When a human child or adult plays with us and imagines activities for us or ideas we might have, we take on part of that person’s life,” Mandy went on. “When people change our clothes…
…or fix our hair…
or take us with them places…
…then we sort of come alive.”
“This is still just a doll,” Mandy said, holding out the tiny doll from long ago. “She’s just a doll, because no one plays with her anymore.”
“I’ll bet she has some happy memories, though,” Jolena replied dreamily.
Cast--
Mandy: Götz Happy Kidz Katie 2015
Jolena: Götz Happy Kidz Lena in Aspen 2015
The doll: A penny doll from the middle 1800s, given to the author by a friend, Gertrude Whitwell, who was in her 90s at the time, about 1950, when The Writer was still a child. "Aunt Gertrude" inspired many flights of fancy with her tales of life in a very different era.
The doll: A penny doll from the middle 1800s, given to the author by a friend, Gertrude Whitwell, who was in her 90s at the time, about 1950, when The Writer was still a child. "Aunt Gertrude" inspired many flights of fancy with her tales of life in a very different era.
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Note: No dolls were harmed during production of this blog. All dolls shown are Götz Happy Kidz, Classic Kidz or Little Kidz. If you like these stories and are willing, please make a donation of any amount to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital or any organization that supports pediatric cancer research and treatment. We are not affiliated with St. Jude in any way other than these donations.
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"The Doll's Storybook" is not affiliated with Gotz Dolls USA Inc. or Götz Puppenmanufaktur International GmbH.
Watch for the next story each Friday afternoon at 1:00 PM Pacific Time.
Mariah: Stories from the Doll's Storybook, Emil: Stories from the Doll's Storybook and soon Classic Tales Retold: Stories from the Doll's Storybook are available from BookBaby and other booksellers worldwide, such as Amazon and Barnes & Noble. Royalties (net proceeds) go to support pediatric cancer research and treatment. If you don't get free shipping elsewhere, buy from Book Baby. Half of the price goes to St. Jude. Autographed copies of all three books are available from the author for $20 including shipping. (Multiple books to the same address have a discount on shipping.) To inquire, email thedollsstorybook@icloud.com.
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