The old dollmaker placed the doll on the shelf. His was a vanishing breed in an age when dolls are stamped out by machines. The dollmaker loved his work and that love showed through in the dolls he made. It was his father who had taught him to love his work, and that love between father and son, master and student, grew for many years. In his father's day the little shop had been in the center of the city, but now the city had grown so much that the area around the shop had become run down. He took over the shop when his father passed away and never married. The shop had provided him with a modest living through the years.

This most recent doll was special to the dollmaker. He had not only made it with a great deal of care and love, but he had also made it for the daughter he never had. It stood out among the other dolls on the shelves. The smile, the twinkle in her eyes seemed to be more alive than the others.

The little bell tinkled as the businessman entered the shop. The dollmaker looked up with a smile that said, 'may I help you?'

The businessman replied "I'm just browsing." He walked around the store as the dollmaker went back to his task. The businessman was searching for a special gift to get his daughter for her birthday. She was his pride and joy so he wanted just the right gift to express his love for her. A friend at work had mentioned the little dollshop downtown as an interesting place to look. So here he was.

He walked slowly around the store looking at the face of each doll. Occasionally he would pick one up to inspect it closer. When he got to the most recent doll he stopped and stared into this face that stared back with this twinkle that said, 'I love you.' "I'd like to get this one", the businessman said.

"You have made a fine choice", the dollmaker said with a smile. "This doll will make some little girl very happy!"

"Yes", said the businessman, "She'll be five soon and this is just what I've been looking for."

At the birthday party the doll was Suzie's favorite present. And over the next couple of years it became her special toy. The one she always slept with, the one she took on every trip. She loved this doll more than any of her other dolls. And all the while whether she was happy or sad, the doll's twinkle always said, 'I love you'.

One day Suzie and her mother were shopping downtown. As they walked along the sidewalk they passed a little homeless girl of five sitting on a heating grate. Suzie stopped and stared into those big brown eyes that stared back.

"Come along Suzie!" her mother called after noticing Suzie had stopped. Suzie looked up at her mother then back to the little girl. A great compassion and love swelled up inside her. She handed the doll to the little girl, slowly as if an offering. And the little girl accepted it slowly as if to say thank you. Her mother stood dumbfounded as this transaction occurred because she knew how much the doll meant to Suzie. Suzie ran over to her mother who said, "Why did you give dolly to that little girl?"

"Because Mommy... because I have you and Daddy, but she had no one to tell her 'I love you'. But now she does because she has dolly."

Tears swelled up in her mother's eyes as she realized the simple truth and the great love her daughter had shown.

The little homeless girl hugged the doll tightly and the cold night didn't seem as lonely. The next day she was wandering the streets when she passed a little shop with dolls in the window just like hers! She decided to go inside and look around.

The little bell tinkled as the girl entered. The dollmaker looked up and said, "That's a mighty pretty doll you have there Miss!"

She clutched her doll tightly, afraid it might be taken from her. "Where's your Mom and Dad ?" The dollmaker said with a disarming smile.

"I got no Dad and Mom went away awhile ago." The little girl croaked, hoarse from the cold.

"Who takes care of you?" Stepping out from behind the counter the dollmaker wiped the dirt off her cheeks. He noticed how thin she looked. "Would you like something to eat?" She nodded. After a warm bowl of soup the girl became more talkative. The dollmaker learned she had been unwanted and finally abandoned by her mother just a few days before. She had grown up homeless and unloved, but now she felt a great love and compassion coming from this old man.

On an impulse she reached over and gave him a hug as he sat beside her on the floor of the back room of the shop where he lived. The fireplace crackled merrily as he invited her to stay as long as she liked. He said she could help him make dolls and keep him company.

A couple years passed. The love between the little girl and the dollmaker grew. He saw her as the daughter he always wanted, and she called him 'Gramps'. She learned to help him make dolls, and she learned to love the work as much as he did.

Finally, the day came when she no longer needed dolly to feel loved. She decided it was time for dolly to teach someone else about unconditional love. Gramps looked up to see her put dolly up on the shelf with the other dolls. Before she climbed down off the stool, she gave dolly one last hug and said, "Thank You". Dolly's eyes twinkled as they always had saying, 'I love you'. Gramps gave her a big hug as she dragged the stool back. She gave a little giggle and hugged him back.

The little bell tinkled as the next customer entered the shop...