100 Years of Winnie the Pooh

Whether we are 6 years old or 96 years old I think that there are lessons to learn in a read of any of the Winnie the Pooh stories, and there is something so powerful about books that can be so meaningful across generations. 

A.A. Milne credits his inspiration for these stories to his wife, Daphne, and Christopher Robin, his young son, who once had a rather special encounter with a black bear at London Zoo called Winnie (short for Winnipeg). This is also why you may hear Winnie the Pooh referred to as Edward Bear - originally Christopher Robin had his own teddy bear called Edward Bear, but after connecting with Winnie at the zoo one day he changed the name, and Winnie the Pooh the character was born.

The real Christopher Robin meeting the real Winnie, a black bear at London Zoo.

Now, 100 years later, my own four year old still loves reading the stories about the time that Tigger tried to stop jumping, the time that everyone forgets poor Eeyore's birthday, and the time that Pooh and Piglet get obsessed with catching a 'Woozle". She also relates heavily to Winnie the Pooh’s obsession with honey as she is also rather enamoured with the sticky, sweet stuff. 

Today people still talk about the stories and the adventures and the way we all relate to some of the personalities. I think more-so today than ever before, we find a sense of comfort in the approach this small bear takes to life. His embrace of the small joys of life, like a fresh pot of honey, and his slow pace to living each day is like an antidote to our constant rush and our huge focus on productivity. I have a tattoo on my arm that says ‘Be Here Now’ which speaks to how much I struggle to take on a Pooh-like approach to living in the present moment, but I love the reminder he provides that its okay to take your time and enjoy your immediate surroundings, whether it’s a walk through nature or a delightfully simply but nourishing meal.

Here at Book Hero we have been chatting all week about the way we all relate to different characters. The thing that makes these characters so easily relatable is that they have strengths and weaknesses, and their own quirks and struggles that many identify with. The thing that ties them all together though is a deep loyalty and care for one another (a bit like a great team!). 

Some of us are like Tigger bouncing around with a slightly chaotic and wonderfully enthusiastic energy. There’s those more like Rabbit who are organised and hardworking, bringing a sense of control and perfectionism to making things go smoothly, and then of course Piglet who is the best, bravest friend but also the anxious one who might get overwhelmed a little more easily than others. I feel like we all have days where we feel a bit like Eeyore and the Pooh-like contentment is harder to reach. There’s also the intellectual and wise Owl, the calm leader of the group, the young adventurer Kanga and his caring mum Roo. 

We started off trying to identify which one we each were most like (I’ll leave it to you to guess!) but in reality I think the beauty of all these characters is that they capture such a wide range of emotions and personalities that we probably relate to many of them, depending on the day! 

I know for myself I can oscillate wildly between Piglet’s anxiety, Eeyore’s melancholy, Pooh’s delight in sensory pleasures, and Kanga’s mothering - and that’s just within the first two hours of the day (joking, mostly).

Through these made up anthropomorphized animals we can empathize better with the different personalities we may be surrounded by, we are inspired to see life a little more simply and to appreciate those mundane moments of a life we are so lucky to be living alongside those we love and care for. Winnie the Pooh is just one example of why reading and writing and illustrating and storytelling are so powerful in helping us take care of ourselves, each other, and our planet. Yes, we love a bit of self help, but if I had to choose a guru I think I might choose Winnie the Pooh and his mates.