People remind me of teddy bears. Some are full of stuffing and little else. Some are kept out of reach of the masses, only being able to be viewed but never touched. There are generic bears that share such a striking resemblance to each other that we could be forgiven for not seeing the individual beauty within each one. Like people bears come in a multitude of different sizes and colours; the possibilities are endless.

Some bears are old and tatty, while others appear to have been made yesterday. Some have jointed limbs while others cannot move their limbs at all. Some stare at us with unseeing eyes while their counterparts’ fur is so thick we can’t even see their eyes through their fur. Some teddies are matted, some soft and silky. Some can growl while others have no voice.

So if I compare people to teddy bears you’re probably wondering just what sort of bear I see you as…

You are a very special teddy bear indeed, though not everyone can appreciate that fact. Some choose to judge you at face value and that is their loss not yours, for if they really thought about it, they would see in you what I see when I look at you.

Your fur may be partly matted, some even having been worn away leaving bare patches that are scratchy to the touch. One of your ears sits lopsided; the result of someone’s attempt to ‘fix’ you. Your eyes are beautiful, well at least the one you still have is. The other long gone, leaving a stubborn thread hanging; the only reminder that it was ever there in the first place.

You might be grubby and in places your seams have split exposing the straw on the inside. A flat row of fur the only telltale sign that you once proudly wore a ribbon secured round your neck.

For some people that is all they see when they look at you before their eyes discard you. Yet while I see the same things that they see, I see you as being so incredibly beautiful and it makes me want to hug you all the more.

Those signs of wear and tear that some seem almost ashamed of, they show me how special you are. For while many might view them as flaws, I see them as signs that you have been loved so very, very much; and I know that is true because I am the one who loves you.

I wouldn’t change a single thing about you. To do so might risk losing your charm, your uniqueness and your personality and besides why change you when I already love you just the way you are.

I love you, so beary, beary much.

(Screen) Name: Vicki Kay

I feel a slight twinge of shame when saying it, but I met my current boyfriend and possibly last boyfriend on the popular networking site, Facebook.

It all started about a month before final exams, and I was procrastinating as usual on Facebook. Specifically, I was browsing through the popular YouTube make up artist: Michelle Phan’s Facebook fan page comments. While scrolling down, a face caught my eye. He was “cute” as you may describe it, so I decided to take a look at his comment. It stated something about Michelle never messaging him back and therefore she was mean. Being somewhat of a “troll” myself, I could tell this was an subtle and well played attempt at trolling, and that many would be “butthurt”; and many were. Feeling that it would be the most polite thing to do, I calmly commented how he was just joking, in a way, and that people should just stop overreacting.

He thanked me and added me shortly after. I wasn’t expecting that, as I thought the comment would just be a passing event, but after accepting the friend request, I messaged him with a “Hi :)”. He was cute anyway.

From there, we started talking, first through Facebook messages and chat, then through msn. I actually used to have a bad habit of flirting with guys online, and at the time I also even had a boyfriend, though not a very good one. During those days that I would talk to this boy on msn, he was just another guy that I would flirt with, just another person to occupy my time. I also found out he was 5 years older than me, and at the age of 15, I wasn’t expecting anything to happen anyway. It was harmless and all in good fun, but from the way he talked to me, it seemed like he felt more, although I had no idea how that could cross his mind at such an early stage. One day, he asked me if we could talk on the phone. I felt reluctant, as I usually limit myself to online, but eventually I agreed and we talked.

That night we talked for approximately 5 hours, all the way into the morning. We joked, had deep conversations, and he voiced how he was attracted to me…*really* attracted to me. I was slightly taken aback, as I thought the way he talked to begin with was slightly, how may I put it, gay sounding, so I wasn’t too eager to reciprocate the feeling, but I was still happy to call him my good friend.

A few weeks passed, and the exams were over with, and my current boyfriend was going back to Hong Kong for the summer. The guy that I was talking to online and now on the phone for hours convinced me to break up with my boyfriend, so I did. It actually lifted a great weight off my shoulders, and I appreciated the phone guy, who we shall call “David”, that much more.

Time went on, and eventually, I grew more and more attracted to him, up to the point where I really liked him, but I wasn’t sure where it would go. We shared everything with each other, our family stories, friend stories, secrets, tears, laughter, and happiness. That month, I was to go on a 10 day trip to Italy with my school choir; I waited all afternoon before the plane ride at the airport for him to call. He called while we were boarding the plane, and while we were talking, he shyly said,

“Hey…hey…you’re cute. Hey…hey….you’re beautiful. Hey…hey…… I love you.”

I got tears in my eyes and replied,

“I love you too…I’m going to miss you so much.”

“I’m going to miss you a lot too my princess. Don’t worry though, I’ll find a way to call you, to get to you. Anything for my princess.”

My heart felt so conflicted, both swelling with love, while also prickled with sadness to think that I wouldn’t be able to talk to my David for 10 days…

The next morning, while sleeping in my Italian room with my roommate, the phone rang. I was still asleep, so my roommate picked up, and after realizing who it was, woke me up to give me the phone.

I muttered a groggy, “Hello?”

“Hunnie!”

“Bearbear!” (My nickname for him hehe)

“Aw babe, did I wake you up from sleeping? Do you want to go back to sleep for a bit?”

“No, no, no. It’s almost time to wake up anyway, and I want to talk to you.” 🙂

He asked me to be his girlfriend that day, June 26th, 2010. I found it silly that he even had to ask, because he already knew I loved him and would be more than happy to be his girlfriend! 🙂 Silly bear.

Anyway, that entire trip, all I could think of was him. All my shopping was for souvenirs to send to him (he lives 3 hours away by plane), and he would call me every night, no matter how expensive the rate was. That trip, even though we were further apart, it was the distance that actually strengthened our relationship even more.

After returning from Italy, we had our ups and downs, but they were always resolved, and they added to the strength of our connection and love for each other. I ended up telling my older and younger sister, and my best friend, all of whom disapproved heartily, but I didn’t let them affect what we were. The past month or two have been hard though, because I have been with either my sisters or with my best friend on vacation, on and off for a week at a time, so I have not had enough time or privacy to talk to David.

Currently, I am visiting my older sister in the States with my younger sister, and it is simply too risky to talk to my bearbear on the phone, so I have to rely on online means again. He’s going to come to where I live soon, possibly in September or October. I am so excited for that day, when we can embrace and kiss and feel our bodies finally with each other. We have already planned out how it will work. I will go to the airport to go see him, and I’ll run towards him, he’ll pick me up and spin me around while hugging me. It’s going to be picture perfect.

I think of him every moment I wake, and every second I sleep. My thoughts aren’t childish romance dreams,nor are they sexual fantasies. I simply think of him and me lying on the couch together, watching T.V, or just enjoying each other’s company. No awkwardness, no anxiety, just contentedness; peace. I’m waiting for the day when that may come true. For now, I’m happy with our unconventional love, with our destiny to be together. The Princess will forever be with her Bearbear.

(Screen) Name: Unconventionally in love