When I was five years old, my grandfather gave me a beautiful platypus stuffed animal for my birthday. I remember opening it in our apartment in Virginia, though to be honest I can’t remember the exact date I got it. Five seems reasonable though for such a vivid mental image.
It was the perfect under-arm size for cuddling up to in bed every night. Round, squat, perfectly cartoon-y but with a serious side. He is various shades of brown with a perfectly plush duckbill and rounded tail. He sits up on his behind, propped up by his his back flippers nad tail. Instant hit. I slept with him as my stuffed animal all the way through college and even sometimes after marriage before we had our first baby. He was more a comfort sleep pillow by that point, but I still love him for being with me for over thirty years now. I tried to pass him on to my son, but he was too serious that he was still mine. Instead, he latched onto a trio of pillows; one Pete the Cat, one rainbow pillow he made, and a Rocket Ship Pillow I designed and made. He’s pretty much ignored almost every other stuffed animal in this house other than those three. I’m a bit bummed that he didn’t go for Platypus as well, but I suppose child differentiation from parents begins when it begins… And with all the well-worn spots on Platypus, he probably wouldn’t do too well going through another whole childhood! 😅 Now, my baby on the other hand is VERY into stuffed animals. I’m only recently discovering this, since she’s only recently discovered it herself!
One reason why I finally embraced the word contemplative for myself was because of my relationship to Platypus. I know that sounds silly, and it is a little, but sometimes things aren’t just things. The history, nostalgia, love, relationship actually does matter and it reminds you to be more open, not less. That’s what it is for me and platypus. Maybe it’s feeling better able to relate to children and their imaginations, or it’s just being more open to the connections we all share, something about Platypus just gets me, and I get him. Nowadays, Platypus has gone threadbare in many places. Particularly his side where I would hold him; there’s four finger-shaped and finger-spaced bald spots on one side. His tail and a leg have been sewn on at least once more. His button eyes are scuffed, the stuffed animal equivalent of cataracts. He’s tucked away in storage right now, though I feel guilty for it. He’s like a real imaginary friend… who’s obviously imaginary because he doesn’t move or talk, but also sparks my imagination. And where that imagining leads me is into seeing the interdependence we all have for one another, even beloved objects and Australian animals. Nowadays I’m more direct about seeking out moments and opportunities to reflect. And I have greater control over my surroundings and activities than when I was a kid. I like to spend more time in nature than I did when I was younger, and much of my sense of oneness with others comes from that now. It’s interesting now to me to look back upon my childhood and see how much of what I am now was nascent then. I’m thankful for that and a little intimidated by it, being a parent now myself. Everyday, I show up trying to take seriously what my children take seriously and embody their importance to me by how I hold space for them to explore life for themselves. And I’m giving myself permission to continue learning about myself and grow at the same time.
Actually an Artist 
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