How a happy meal toy reignited my love of playing with dolls, which to helped me to process the grief of losing my mother

“The whole procedure will take less four hours, do you have somewhere you can go?”

The doctor looked at me as I fixed my mother’s shoe laces. “of course!” I said. The hospital was not far from downtown, so I decided to go get lunch and then spend some Time by the water.

I went to the @mcdonalds in the north end of Springfield and, as I opened the happy meal box, I was surprised to find a miniature @Barbie doll.

I had spent a good part of that week Worried about my mother. The test she was having that day was to rule out a very rare form of vascular dementia. But it was like as soon as I held that doll in my hand, my anxiety lessened. I felt more at peace.

No one knows this, but I carried that miniature doll with me everywhere. She stayed in my purse, unless I was alone, but anytime I would feel sad or worried, I would pull her out. It was almost like she transported me back to my days as a child when I had no worries.

That was three years ago.

Now I have several Barbie dolls, and people even buy them for me! I lost my mother in 2022, so I believe playtime also helps me with my grief. It reminds me that I am still someone’s daughter. that I still deserve quiet, stillness, and peace.

I received a bit of flack for the last doll video I posted. Some people said I need therapy, some people said I was crazy, some people just didn’t understand. But most of the people supported my level of play. Most people understood that it is actually good for me.

Do you have something you return to when you are stressed? Perhaps a favorite childhood snack? Or television show? Tell me about it.