The Wisdom Of Winnie The Pooh
Wisdom comes to us from many sources—sometimes from the mouths of babes, at other times from the teachings of ancient philosophers. A treasury of simple but wise sayings that suggest guidelines for living was given to the world by A. A. Milne, the London playwright who wrote the charming tale of Winnie-the-Pooh in 1926, and several more books on "Pooh Bear" to follow.
Although originally written as stories to read to his young son, Christopher Robin, Milne's series on Winnie and his friends who lived in the forest offer enlightenment for adults--especially in this hectic, modern world in which we live.
Each character’s personality reflects for the reader a unique view of the world: Owl through his quest for knowledge. Eyeore is an unrelenting pessimist. We learn about bravery from Piglet and the need to believe in ourselves from Tigger. Winnie the Pooh, as described by Milne, might be a bear with “very little brain” but he has an abundance of wisdom and spouts insightful truths. Here are some:
On believing in yourself:
"Promise me you’ll always Remember: You’re BRAVER than you believe; And STRONGER than you seem; And SMARTER than you think."
Self-esteem is developed by knowing and "remembering" that you are greater than the thoughts and beliefs that try to convince you that you cannot be and do what you wish. When you follow your dreams, which arise from your authentic self, you can be all that you choose to be.
On living in the moment:
”What day is it?”
“It’s today,” squeaked Piglet.
“My favorite day,’” said Pooh.
How would it be if you lived your life as if "today" is—or at least could be—the best day of all, living each and every day as if it was your favorite day?
Try starting each day with the thought, "This is going to be my best day ever." Or going to a meeting with the thought, "This will be a wonderful, harmonious meeting."
On taking time:
“Don’t underestimate the value of doing nothing, of just going along, listening to all the things you can’t hear and not bothering.”
In these hectic times, take time to relax and do Nothing with awareness. You might want to notice who and how you are right now, stare at a candle flame, listen to music...
On love:
"How do you spell ‘love’?” asks Piglet. Pooh responds, “You don’t spell it. You feel it.”
And you live it. You live it by giving your time and attention to the people and activities that are important to you. Who or what have you been neglecting?
On friendship:
“It’s more fun to talk with someone who doesn’t use long, difficult words but rather short, easy words like ‘What about lunch’?”
Have lunch with someone you care about this week. Giving time to our friendships, to conversation and laughter, nourishes us and helps keep our lives in balance.
On mindfulness:
“Rivers know this: There is no hurry. We shall get there some day.”
Practice staying present with whatever is flowing through your life on a daily, moment-by-moment basis. Enjoy being where you ARE.
Author’s content used under license, © Claire Communications
What is the moral of Winnie the Pooh?
The overall theme of Winnie the Pooh is the importance of forming solid, lasting friendships. With good friends, you will always have someone there to lean on, someone who will go on adventures and expeditions with you, and even someone who might invite you over for tea and a mouthful of something.
17 Wise Winnie-the-Pooh Quotes About the Remarkable Power of Kindness, Love and Acceptance
Here are some inspiring and surprisingly wise things Winnie-the-Pooh had to say:
One of A. A. Milne's most beloved and popular books, The Complete Tales of Winnie-the-Pooh, holds within its covers tales of happiness and hardship and how a silly old bear copes and learns from them. Recently, Pooh starred in a Disney film along with a grown-up Christopher Robin who together go in search of their old friends Tigger, Eeyore, Piglet, Owl, Rabbit, Kanga, and Roo.
This is one of my favorite quotes from Pooh Bear about acceptance:
"Weeds are flowers, too, once you get to know them."
Winnie-the-Pooh had many wonderful things to say about love, acceptance, and being kind to others. And who wouldn't like more of that, both at work and at home? Here are 17 remarkably wise Winnie-the-Pooh quotes that are sure to inspire you to reflect and perhaps even be a bit more kind.
"If you live to be a hundred, I want to live to be a hundred minus one day so I never have to live without you."
"Love is taking a few steps backward, maybe even more...to give way to the happiness of the person you love."
"A little consideration, a little thought for others, makes all the difference."
"Some people care too much. I think it's called love."
"It is more fun to talk with someone who doesn't use long, difficult words but rather short, easy words like 'what about lunch?"
"If there ever comes a day when we can't be together, keep me in your heart, I'll stay there forever."
"I think we dream so we don't have to be apart for so long. If we're in each other's dreams, we can be together all the time."
"A day without a friend is like a pot without a single drop of honey left inside."
"Sometimes, if you stand on the bottom rail of a bridge and lean over to watch the river slipping slowly away beneath you, you will suddenly know everything there is to be known."
"One of the advantages of being disorganized is that one is always having surprising discoveries."
"How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard."
"Rivers know this: there is no hurry. We shall get there some day."
"If the person you are talking to doesn't appear to be listening, be patient. It may simply be that he has a small piece of fluff in his ear."
"You're braver than you believe and stronger and smarter than you think."
"You can't stay in your corner of the forest waiting for others to come to you. You have to go to them sometimes."
"It never hurts to keep looking for sunshine."
"A day spent with you is my favorite day. So today is my new favorite day."
By Peter Econom, THE LEADERSHIP GUY
Connect With Me
Let's talk about how things are going for you and your thoughts about this article...
Click on this link to schedule a complimentary Virtual Coffee Chat with me so we can talk together.