Last month, I did something again for the first time: I attended a meet-up of like-minded people. There is a group on Facebook for German (speaking) Build a Bear fans and collectors which I am obviously a member of. It’s lots of fun, a great community, and a place where we can share our furry friends’ adventures, pictures and all that. Once a year, there is also a Meet-up somewhere in Germany, and this year’s took place in … Bearlin. My home turf. Nice. Obviously, the Beary Best Friends (well, some of them) and Yours Truly had to join the fun. Because why ever not?
I was a bit nervous about going there, as, with the exception of one lady, I didn’t know any of the attendees personally, just from FB posts. So that was a bit of a challenge for me – the Great Unknown, if you wanna call it that. First of all – a large group of people and y’all know that most of the time, I find people incredibly exhausting. And there is always that tiny voice whispering insults, judging me for having certain hobbies whatsoever. Secondly, a bunch of “What ifs?” were running through my mind. Turned out, I didn’t have to worry in the slightest bit …
Same for the fact that I can be a bit reserved when meeting new people. But in this case?
When the Beary Best Friends and I arrived at the restaurant where we were meeting up to have breakfast and dinner, I was a bit lost for a second, but this one waiter greeted me, asking, “You with the teddy bears?”
Yes … so he told me where they were sitting, and I happily walked over there.
And y’all know what? I have never met a group of people who were not just like-minded when it comes to our plushies, but who were absolutely non-judgemental. People from all walks of life joined in the fun. A gay couple, an ally, older (than me) people, younger ones, …you name it. We all shared a bond: stuffed animals. Especially of the Build a Bear variety. 🙂
For the first time in quite some time (after having had to quit the concerts due to my health issues), I felt I had found a place to belong. I felt SEEN. UNDERSTOOD.
Getting judged – or bullied – for stuff that doesn’t seem age-appropriate, or just because you dare to be different than the society “norm” (and let’s be brutally honest here: Normal. Is. Boring. STAT.) has been a life-long issue, unfortunately. But as I have said a previous entry, times are dark and scary nowadays, so we all need something to hold on to, our little escapisms to not lose our minds entirely.
So I introduced the Beary Best Friends, and one lady was like, “Ah, it’s you then! I’ve only ever known y’all wearing jammies!” Because these lazy bums do love their lie-ins, wearing PJs all day long. And for the meet-up, they did indeed dress properly – as you can see on the photo. That pic was taken outside Humboldt-Forum where we had a little rest. That was also a definite bonus about the meet-up: you did not HAVE TO participate in everything that was on the menu, you could pick and choose your activities, also depending on how you felt physically. For me, that was a welcome option, as I could wind down a little in between, whilst soaking up some sun and watching the activities around me. (Side note: that very day, there was also a pro Palestine protest march going on, pretty much in the same area where a lot of our activities took place, so I kinda kept the group informed about barricades being erected as well police and activists swarming about.)
We also had a boat ride on the River Spree, afterwards it was again an optional museum visit or “do whatever you like” until it was time to meet for dinner again, so I hopped into a bookstore and found a little rainbow colored pin which I got for the aforementioned gay couple as a little surprise, a magazine and some postcards, returned to TV Tower where we had dinner. And you know what? That day out actually gave me some energy, made me feel good – also about myself. For once I didn’t have to worry about what someone could say about me waltzing around with some teddy bears in public (okay, I mostly carried them in my bag, but did take them out for group photos or whatever). It was a lot of fun, and I am very grateful to have found those people who share the same love and passion. Namely, collecting Build a Bear (and other brands, mind). And the best news is that come Novembear, Build a Bear will finally re-open in Germany; its flagship store being in … Bearlin. *does some kind of happy dance*
I definitely had a lovely day out, and even my Mom was happy for me when I told her about the shenanigans and the fun and laughter. Which is saying something as well.
*****
pic: mine
Ocean Soul 