MARK MY WORD: 'BUDDY BEAR' MORE THAN CHILD'S PLAY FOR BAILEY

He never complains, no matter the weather. He is a quiet sort, who is content just to be along for the ride.

But most of all he's Bailey's best buddy, a terrycloth teddy bear that our 4-year-old takes everywhere.

Losing it would be a disaster. It's her only best buddy. She has one that is similar and in better shape, but it just isn't the same.

Bailey prefers the worn, faded blue and yellow "Buddy Bear" to anything else.

She won't go to sleep without it. When she's tired, she holds it up to her nose.

Joni has rescued the stuffed bear numerous times, stitching up its over-stretched arms and re-stuffing the body.

If this bear were a person, he would be considered a modern medical miracle. The fact he is still hanging on is downright amazing.

I've suggested that Bailey find a new partner, but she won't hear of discarding it. She loves the cuddly creature.

She has taken him through thick and thin. She hauls him everywhere. Buddy Bear attracts plenty of dirt. He's regularly in need of a bath.

But Bailey won't abandon him. Just parting with him so he can be washed is a major feat.

I've thought of attaching Velcro to Buddy or finding some other way to better secure him to Bailey.

She loves the bear, but she often loses him right before bedtime. This necessitates an all-out search for the guy.

Often, I find the bear buried in her covers or under a pile of clothes in her room.

But the bear has been left before at friends' homes, on the backyard swing and in the backseat of the car.

None of this use and abuse seems to have scarred the trusty bear, at least internally. Outwardly, he looks kind of shabby.

But don't tell that to Bailey. She can't imagine getting through life without Buddy Bear.

Personally, I think we'd all be better off with a cuddly Buddy in our corner.

Ages from now, anthropologists might wonder about our society of teddy bears and the significance of stuffed animals.

Some anthropologists have moved away from studying African shantytowns and Himalayan villages to inspecting American culture, ranging from Knights of Columbus halls to suburban shopping malls.

For some of today's anthropologists, everything from the auction of a Michigan farm to a crowd at a Dairy Queen is worth a closer inspection.

But none of that stuff ranks up there with Bailey's Buddy.

For our little girl, it's a steadfast friend.

As a dad, I've been known to hang it on a belt loop for safekeeping in a crowd.

I'm not ashamed. I'm proud to be a protector of the bear. Bailey doesn't give her Buddy to just anybody for safekeeping.

Of course, sooner or later, I'm sure she'll pack up her bear. She'll no longer need Buddy by her side.

But until then, we'll have to keep Buddy all stitched up. That way we can all enjoy the softer side of life.

Mark Bliss is a staff writer for the Southeast Missourian.