Up The Farway Tree

Day 26: A picture of something that means a lot to you This is 'wee red man' and 'donkey'. You can see how original I am with naming things - it's actually a surprise Seb isn't called 'dog'. Wee red man belonged to my older sister Claire, and my mum gave it to me as a keepsake when I was a child. It developed into a lucky charm of sorts for me - gave me the feeling I had someone to watch over me. I had it with me during every hospital admission, every school exam, university exams, interviews and in my bag at my wedding!    When Frances Ann was really ill during my final year of uni, I gave her the wee red man when she was in hospital - I didn't really know what else to do. She did somehow recover from that horrendous episode and when she got out of hospital she returned the wee red man, with a note saying 'I am returning the wee red man so he can help get you through your final exams, thank you for the loan. This wee donkey wants to help you too. I hope he can!" Donkey of course, was duly added to the lucky charm collection!    Both donkey and wee red man were packed in my 'transplant case' along with more obvious essentials to take when the call came. Underwear - check, toothbrush - check, pyjamas - check, wee red man and donkey - check! I am not really a superstitious person and would walk under a ladder or open an umbrella in the house. These two things mean a lot to me, not because I think they are somehow magical but because they remind me that I'm never alone.