There is a place for those not often utilized called the island of misfit toys. They look like any other toy, but these were shiny and cleaner than the ones seen among the corridor of the play yard. These toys remain untouched because they were odd in color, shape, size, and what they did. There was no real reason for why hundreds of children worldwide chose not to play with these toys, as these were arbitrary reasons. However, once a toy was denied by its play mate and was deemed “unplayable”, the toy used its certain abilities to build a wall to surround themselves; almost like a moat, but with no entrance gate. The misfit toys would get so excited when someone decided to play with them and then they would leave because the toys were too peculiar. The toys’ wall grew longer, stronger, and taller with every bit of rejection.

As the children grew and grew, the misfit toys accumulated dust on its plastic, the misfit toys got a little more rusty, and less squeaky, shiny, and new. The walls or moat of the misfit toys has grown quite tall surrounding the toys entirely so that they could no longer be rejected. Because their walls were so high, no one could see what these toys did or what they looked like. The misfit toys liked this concept because this meant they could no longer be rejected by the children. But the misfit toys became very tattered and isolated without being played with. The toys forgot their purpose which was to bring joy to the children. Now the children were too big to be playing with the toys, misfit or not, and both the toys and the children were lonelier than ever.

Twenty years later, the children now have children of their own. The young children dump out the toy box and find an island of misfit toys. Lots of the toys had dust and rust and didn’t look as shiny and new as they used to, but the misfit toys were the new generation’s favorite toys. The oddities of the older toys made excellent characters to play pretend with one another. The younger generation knocked down the walls of the misfit toys because they were finally being cared for as they so desperately needed all along. The parents asked the children why they weren’t playing with the newer shinier, fit toys and playing with the island of misfit toys instead.

And the children replied, “The misfit toys need love and care, too.”

The adults reflected on their old and tattered ways and boxed up the newer, shinier toys to give to children in need. The parents sat on the floor with the children and playing with the island of misfit toys, recognizing their discrimination in their old ways, and welcoming the love and acceptance that the new generation taught to them.

Old dogs can learn new tricks.