You are finally going to meet Timothy whom you have heard mentioned in many ways. Just as I was impressed, you will also be very impressed with everything about him. Bea met Timothy on one of her strolling exercises. Besides helping her to be wee, we have surely seen how these exercises helped her to find and keep friends, which was so different from when she was younger.

These exercises brought her out of her cave, which at times was where she preferred to stay, in her dark, dark empty cave away from everyone, with her sad memories and her " be-good-to-myself" treat. Venturing out, she always came back with a gift, whether it was a new seed to plant in her empty pots, the excitement of a newly discovered spot to do her brain exercises or the nice memory of an encounter with a new friend.

Meeting Timothy was like discovering a very valuable treasure. Every time she spent time with him she felt better and better about herself and her life. She had spent a lot of time worrying about her dear friend Scruffles and Sweet Puppy and helping them. This time it was her turn to have someone care about her and Timothy certainly did show it. When a little voice inside her told that she didn't deserve to have someone care about her, she remembered that time her mom told her that she was a good wee bear. She believed it now, after carrying the question with her for so many years.

Scruffles had taught her that she was a good wee bear by the way he had come to love her over the years, purring so happily around her and sticking by her when she was very sad or scared. She knew that he really cared about her when he didn't run away if she nuzzled her face into his nice soft fur to cry when she was sad. He always seemed to know when she was scared without her having to say; for he stayed by her side, rather than going by himself as independent cats often do.

Sweet Puppy seemed to be much more like Bea. She worried and didn't settle down very easily. She didn't seem to know what to do with or about her bad memories that would come rushing back without warning. Bea was certain that Puppy had nightmares even in the day. She would whine so mournfully in her sleep.

Unlike Scruffles who was content to nibble on fish all day, Puppy seemed to want to eat all of the time; a lot like Bea. And the times that immediately come to Bea's memory was every time there were thunder and lightning storms both of them would sit together in the back of the cave with some of the flashes of lightning brightening the walls of their cave. They were no help to each other.

And Puppy was even frightened of lightning bugs! Bea guessed that Puppy thought they were lightning even though Bea tried to convince her that they were nice little friends and would not hurt us. In fact, Bea loved lightning bugs. She loved the way they danced, lighting up the woods. They were so silent, she imagined what music they were making with a light soft rhythmic twinkling sound. She decided that it didn't seem to be the right time to tell Sweet Puppy how delighted she was one time when about five of them entered the cave lighting up the walls in very pretty designs.

She decided the best thing to ever say is that she would keep Puppy safe. In doing her notice exercise, she became aware that she seemed to do more worrying about Scruffles and Sweet Puppy than they did about her. And she hated to admit it to herself, but neither Scruffles nor Puppy were very reliable cuddlers. What a trio; they were all very wounded. She was to be the healer. Both Sweet Puppy and Scruffles had already had such terrible lives that Bea tried too darned hard to make things better for them, no matter what it took.

Sometimes, she did all the wrong things which made everything get worse; but she did them for the right reasons. Other times, she did do the right things; but they were probably for the wrong reason. She was trying to force a problem to come out the way she thought it should; not the way the maker knew would be best. She had changed since meeting Scruffles and Sweet Puppy; but with Timothy now in her life, caring about her, she would find her outlook on things and herself changing even more.