Blues Clues Blanket

Blue and purple all over with the adorable little dog and her characteristicly bright shining eyes and happy expression staring you dead on in an attempt to fill your mind with happy innocent thoughts. Its the most precious piece of my sisters childhood that is in my possession.  The day came some months ago when my dear little sister decided she was too old for such childish things.  " Im ten", she said, "I dont need this anymore". She flung it on the couch beside our single father who had done everything in his power to keep us well and contempt and then returned to her room to continue with her " Big girl" activities.  I snatched up the blanket and went to my room where i hid it safe and sound to keep forever.  Christmas came soon after and it changed my and my sisters lives eternally.  For a few months leading up to this moment Catherine's mother had been making a seemingly futile attempt to gain custody of her and through her; revenge on our father for leaving her and taking us to safety. On Christmas day, in the haughty and egotistical countenance that she always bares, she informed our father of his defeat. Immediately upon reception of this awful news i ran to my room and unearthed the blanket that i had come to cherish so much.  As i held the blanket i was transported  into my distant memories. Time ran backwards until i found myself sitting on the couch at our old house with my sister all snuggled up next to me, wrapped in that very blanket. I was reminded of all the days we spent together, cold and alone while our dad worked and her mother left us there in selfish haste to get to an unknown destination.  I was reminded of all the times when in her three year old ignorance Catherine sweetly said to me " Mommy will you make me a sandwich?".  I relived every night when after just falling asleep after cleaning the house, making dinner, and completing my elemtery school homework i was awakend by my little darling who had been frightend by the monsters that roamed her room at night.  I remembered all the sacrifices i made to keep her happy and safe; every day of hunger I went through so that her hunger could be sated; every beating i took from my stepmother to sheild Catherine from her drunken rages;  all that i had willingly suffered for my baby girl. I left the current time of misery for another; a simpler time. I went back to when my sister was my life, my heart, and my world.   My sister was safe then, because she had me.  At a time when she needed me the most; I needed her more.  I would come home every day from school and find her laying on the couch wrapped up in her treasured Blue's Clues blanket dreaming of sweet things waiting for me to return only to find myself on the floor after being tackled by a mysterious blue and purple fuzzy monster.  It was a time when i was the mother that she needed and the only one she had.  My sister, my daughter, was all the joy i had in life.  When i hold the blanket; shes here with me again.  When i hold the blanket; I know my little girl is safe.  When i hold the blanket; I never want to let go.  When i hold the blanket; I hold my life in my arms.