Little Boy And Teddy Bear Watercolor Illustration
By Charlie

Secret Conversations

Written by Charlie O'Shields

For our prompt of “Children” today, I opted for just one Little Charlie having a talk with his teddy bear. I used to do this all of the time, with all of my stuffed animals actually, since they were my best friends years ago. Even my mother doesn’t quite know exactly what we were discussing, but ensures me it seemed quite important. I was far too young at the time to remember those conversations today, but I’d be very curious to know what they were all about. And even more so, I’d love to know what the little bear said back to me. I’ve no doubt that he could talk, and also had just the right words and the wisdom that I was looking for that day. Thinking back now, I imagine it was just a Little Charlie still talking to an even littler one. But, there’s got to be some true magic that happens when an actual child talks to his inner child. That voice that’s clearer than any fear or doubt that’s currently present. And, it’s the same voice I talk to today. It’s probably a sign of insanity to be talking to oneself, but when one is talking to one’s inner child, I consider that simply good sense. I’m not telling myself what I want to hear, but only what I need to hear. A perfect truth that I somehow missed in all of the flurry of life.

This week has been quite a flurry in my own life as my day job has gotten quite busy and deadlines continue to pile on. I was going to take a day off tomorrow, but I simply can’t find the time to do so. I’m quite sure that Little Charlie didn’t have any of these adult issues, but he still had deadlines. They came in the form of dreams of what he wanted to DO next. Dreams that simply had to happen that very year or the world would be entirely lost. This is one place in my life where my adult self comes in to save the day. I’ve been through way too many deadlines by this point to fret over them. Whatever can happen, will happen, and the stress of a moment is nothing more than that. Perhaps, that’s what the little teddy bear told me back in the day. Or, more likely, he just said something simple that only a little bear might say like “DO what you can, and love what you DO!” And so, that’s what I’ve been focusing on this week. And, I’m quite thrilled with everything I’ve created during the day and during these posts each evening. Sure, I’m behind on things, but I’m loving what I’m doing!

And as I type this, enjoying the middle of my life, I’m quite content. I’ve lived an amazing 48 years, and I’d love to have another 48 more. It’s not impossible, after all. But, the future is no clearer to me than it was, all of those years ago, for Little Charlie. There’s still that same blur of possibilities, humming in the distance. A million paths that each look enticing and yet each will create an entirely different ending to the story. Thankfully, I’m still writing mine. And like all good stories, I’m just excited to see what the next chapter will bring. We simply can’t know what the future will hold, so I focus on what’s happening next. The next step in my journey, sometimes so small that it’s hard to recognize as progress. But, each thing I DO, is always progress. It’s another chance to make, create, and dream. There’s never enough time to do all that we imagine, but there’s always time to enjoy what we love. This is precisely what I think Little Charlie already learned all of those years ago, alongside his little teddy bear, in those long gone secret conversations.

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 Little Boy And Teddy Bear Watercolor Illustration Sketchbook Detail

Charlie O'Shields

Creator of Doodlewash, founder of World Watercolor Month (July), World Watercolor Group, and host of the Sketching Stuff Podcast. Sharing watercolor illustrations and stories while proudly featuring talented artists from all over the world!

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30 thoughts on “Secret Conversations”

  3. Love this post, Charlie! It is perfectly understandable to me when it comes to conversations with your inner child. Mine comes to play when I create my art. She is telling me that I need to spend time playing with paint tomorrow. I finished my deadline of getting my website up and running today. It appears to be working so I get to relax tonight. I didn’t think I would have deadlines after retirement but I guess I needed to ease into this new life differently than I thought.

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  4. Charlie says, ” We simply can’t know what the future will hold, so I focus on what’s happening next. The next step in my journey, sometimes so small that it’s hard to recognize as progress. But, each thing I DO, is always progress. It’s another chance to make, create, and dream”

    A super philosophy. I still love Teddy Bears. I challenge everybody to donate as many teddy bears as possible to Toys for Tots or whatever organization they give to. We concentrate on the more practical necessities and sometimes forget that teddy bears are
    a necessity too.

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  5. I’ve always felt we talk to ourselves because everyone has to have some intelligent conversation once in a while. No insanity there! I hope everything gets caught up tomorrow so you can thoroughly enjoy your week-end.

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  6. It’s your own version of Calvin and Hobbes. I love it!

    I had quite the menagerie when I was growing up 0 A psychedelic dog jumps out my memory. Dad got him for me when he was traveling for work. I loved that dog. He was Barbie’s favorite pet! 😂

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  7. So cute Charlie. You should write a book on these conversations. Takes me back to my childhood. Juat a few nights we had a fill moon. There I was throwing out the trash and the moom was shinning in the evening. It’s as if she said don’t worry. I’m here.

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  8. Aweeeeeeeee I love this so precious!!! I think our inner child side tends to be the most open and free part of ourselves. I love listening to children because they are so real with how the express themselves. I guess that is why i let mine roam freely lol. 🙂

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  9. That is so awesome! I love the story…and how our inner child lets us know that its ok to be free…Thanks for sharing this…
    And your sketch is quite lovely!!!

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