Three Nuggets of Wisdom from Winnie-the-Pooh
My favorite books as a child, and as even an adult, were the Winnie-the-Pooh books. A. A. Milne was a brilliant author who was a deep thinker and filled his stories with timeless wisdom. Below are three I love. I found these on this website.
The things that make me different are the things that make me me.
– Piglet’s song, You’re the One and Only One, "Welcome to Pooh Corner"
As Piglet and Eeyore sing a duet about individuality, this line strikes a chord. Differences set us apart from each other; they fill our world with vibrancy, variety, and beauty. We need all people, from all walks of life, to use their unique skills and personality traits to make this world a better, creative, and inspiring place. Because, as Piglet concludes, “If everybody were like everybody else, how boring would it be!”
A little Consideration, a little Thought for Others, makes all the difference.
– Eeyore, "Winnie-the-Pooh"
It’s no secret that Eeyore is prone to sadness; this makes him the perfect case study on why we should treat everyone with kindness. We never know a person’s backstory, or the troubles they’re currently navigating. It’s best to treat each person with a dose of compassion, thinking about how we can help them instead of how much we have going on in our own lives. Even the tiniest bit of consideration and thoughtfulness could make a world of difference for someone else — whether it’s gloomy Eeyore who needs a pick- me-up, or the taxi driver who’s burnt out trying to make ends meet for their family.
We can’t all, and some of us don’t. That’s all there is to it.
– Eeyore, "Winnie-the-Pooh"
On the surface, this may sound like another one of Eeyore’s pessimistic musings, but Pooh’s buddy is right. The sooner we know and accept our limits, the sooner we can find happiness and contentedness — and it all starts with removing “should” from our vocabulary. “Should” is one of the most dangerous words in the English language. If we dislike doing something but feel guilty because society tells us we “should,” we’ll forever feel less-than or inauthentic. Eeyore’s simple statement reminds us to ditch the guilt, dig deep, and understand what you can do, especially the things you enjoy. .
My November Update:
The first critique of roughly 3,700 words of my next novel, Emeline - Big Decisions, was received. Two authors sent sound suggestions, and, subsequently, I’ve revised them. Click here to read them, if you dare. Of course, this isn’t the final draft of the first chapter. That’s why they call it a “work in progress”. Your comments are welcome and encouraged.
November’s goal is to work on the outline for the rest of the story and write the second chapter.
(Click to print and color)
Chickadee Cheer - November Winner:
Since I don’t always have names and won’t reveal emails, I can only guess that this month’s winner’s name might be Kerri. Congratulations! I will email you shortly. Please check your email, confirm it by replying, and I’ll send you your gift: a free audiobook of Emeline - A Journey. Thanks for subscribing, Kerri.