Hedgehogs Growing Old with Me

When I was little

my best friend Jill

had a shelf in her kitchen

where her mother kept antique collectibles.

There were wooden bowls,

antique kitchen tools, a coffee grinder,

and a cute little couple

of Steiff hedgehogs.

I loved these little rubber faced guys.....
they had a lot of character.
Of course, we all looked a lot younger back then.

Many years later,

 Jill's parents moved to a smaller home,

and I received a small package in the mail

with a sweet note and
the aging pair of hedgehogs.

When they were given to Jill's mom

in the 1940's, their sweet rubber faces

were perfectly smooth.

But with each passing decade,

the signs of aging began and they

developed wrinkles and laugh lines,
just like me.

(Found the two hedge piglets
in recent years

to complete their family. )

Now Micki and Mecki
look more like grandparents though!

They are a sentimental reminder to me

of a cherished friendship, 

a second mother who cared for me,
and how true friendship transcends
time (and wrinkles!)

 

What about you....

are you

pro-wrinkles

or a 

 prolong your youth

advocate

(with a little help from science)

??????