Are any of you who are fans of Piglet and Pooh also fans of "Wind in the Willows"? There's more wisdom in children's books than in most written for us "grown-ups," that's for sure. In "Wind in the Willows," the bon vivant Ratty, leader of the pack, is fearless and adventurous and pretty much owns the river and the river community. Only Badger is "bigger" than Rat, who becomes the protector of the timid and easily overwhelmed Mole.And there's a similar theme in the "Winnie the Pooh" books, that of friend and protector. Poor little Piglet is scared of the world and seeks the hand of the oblivious and simple-minded Pooh, the enviable "bear of little brain" who wants nothing more than to have his small adventures, sing his honey songs and get his little smackerel of something when his tummy growls.
Today I have been reduced to a sniveling Piglet in search of the sure hand (or paw) of a loving and simple-minded Pooh who doesn't second-guess my fears and motives and who just wants to be my friend and protector, even if he isn't always the best at doing so. Or I want the steady and true friendship of Mole who, when his pal Ratty was about to give in to the seasonal urge to migrate away from his beloved home on the river, finally, when begging and reason failed, just sat his pudgy mole body on top of Rat and stayed there until the urge to migrate was gone. (My favorite part. ) What a friend Mole turned out to be. He knew what Ratty needed more than Rat himself did. See, Mole knew it was a very dangerous world out there, especially when you wandered too far from home, and he pulled out all the stops to protect his best friend Rat.
Today I understand why the world is so frightening for someone so small as Piglet, and I feel very small indeed.
Some days we just can't keep the wolves from the door with our hollow roars. Some days you get the bear, and some days the bear gets you. My score for the last 24 hours: The Bear - 10; Me - 3. A new receptionist at my evil doctor's office held my hand for a while, and my dear friend Patti held it right to the end. Not a bear of very little brain, that Patti -- more a Tigger of very much brain -- but she managed to be both here and in Dallas at the very same time. She works magic.
And at the very end of the very long day, my Bethy held my hand with her sticky-honey paw. I bet she'll even show me how to stick my Piglet arm into that "Hunny jar" so I can have a little smackerel of something with her.
9 comments:
A lot of us are holding your hand, Nannygoat.
Thank you, thank you! It's going to take a lot of hands to hold me up. Yesterday was, hopefully, my lowest point, and I've just sent flowers to my previously-anonymous nurse and to my ever-ready Patti. Gotta' sprinkle some flower petals around to keep that karma in balance.
We've got a couple of hands reaching out to you from San Diego, Aunt Nannygoat! One of them is small and dimpled and if you're not careful he could grab your hair. really. hard. But, it's always with love.
Thank you, sweetheart. I can't wait until he can get a handful of my real hair and pull himself to his feet while he's hanging on.
There's a box of toys waiting for him, and he'll have a second-cousin-boy early August. I can't wait to see you.
So which Pooh or Wind in the Willows character is YOUR favorite?
While I love them all (Eeyore with his saggy little behind!), I love Pooh most of all.
That would explain your Little Debbie cravings when you were carrying Nicky. They were your "hunny jar"! I love Pooh for being uncomplicated and trustworthy and just for "being." Eeyore is probably my alter ego, but Piglet steals my heart because he's full of trepidation about life and scared like I am inside. I just put on a brave front. :)
i've got a jar of honey for your paw.
a large large jar.
i can't eat it all!
where did the matchmaker one go?
it is goneee
It is gone, indeed. Loie didn't like it and deleted it, so I won't be speaking for her anymore. It was a mistake on my part to do it, even though I meant well. Mea culpa.
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