DID IT RAISE AN EYEBROW?

Although we all wish to be that effortlessly calm and still, reflective bear in A A Milne's Winnie the Pooh, we just are not. We are, in our own right, special, just as we are.

While Eeyore frets and Piglet hesitates, and rabbit calculates, and the owl pontificates, Pooh just is.

Perhaps within us, we are all of A A Milne's characters wrapped into one. Perhaps we need to look to see each of the characters and how they help us function with the idea of living, just living.

The Tao of Pooh had a remarkable influence on my life a few decades ago. I suppose that, because of the symbolism, I bought a big dumpy Pooh who says, amongst other things, "Honey" and an oversized Tigger because at that time I was bouncy trouncy. What do you mean...at that time? :)

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SOMETHING SPECIAL INSIDE EACH OF US

Piglet instead knows his limitations and that's what makes him sometimes more brave than you would expect from such a small animal.

So, the first thing we need to do is recognize and trust our own Inner Nature, and not lose sight of it. Inside the Bouncy Tigger is the Rescuer who knows the Way, and in each of us is something Special, and that we need to keep:

"Tigger is all right really," said Piglet lazily.
"Of course he is," said Christopher Robin
."Everybody is really," said Pooh. "That's what I think," said Pooh."But I don't suppose I'm right," he said.

"Of course you are," said Christopher Robin.

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ARE YOU NOT WISE?

"A fish can't whistle and neither can I." There's nothing wrong with not being able to whistle, especially if you're a fish.

But there can be lots of things wrong with blindly trying to do what you aren't designed for. Unfortunately, some people aren't so wise, and end up causing big trouble for themselves and others. The wise know their limitations; the foolish do not.

To demonstrate what we mean, we can think of no one better than Tigger, who doesn't know his limitations ('Tiggers' can do everything'), which brings him in lots of trouble.

Perhaps it isn't all about being just an uncarved block of wood, perhaps it is having a little wisdom and being not so wise as to try things we can not do, or aren't designed to do, like whistle like a fish. Perhaps.

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CLEVER COMPLAINER

Eeyore is that of knowledge for the sake of complaining about something. As anyone who doesn't have it can see, the Eeyore attitude gets in the way of things like wisdom and happiness, and pretty much prevents any sort of real accomplishment in life.

Rabbit is that of knowledge of being clever. . The thing that makes someone truly different- -unique, in fact-- is something that cleverness cannot really understand. Cleverness, after all, has its limitations. Its mechanical judgements and clever remarks tend to prove inaccurate with passing time, because it doesn't look very deeply into things.

Who is left from the World According to Pooh?

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WISDOM OF THE OWL

Owl, instead, is the opposite of Pooh, the Knowledge for the sake of Appearing Wise, the one who studies Knowledge for the sake of Knowledge, and who keeps what he learns to himself or to his own small group, rather than working for the enlightenment of others. That way, the scholars can appear Superior, and will not likely be suspected of Not Knowing Something.

After all, from the scholarly point of view, it's practically a crime not to know everything. But sometimes the knowledge of the scholar is a bit hard to understand because it doesn't seem to match up with our own experience of things. Isn't the knowledge that comes from experience more valuable than the knowledge that doesn't?


Owl's little routine is that of Knowledge for the sake of Appearing Wise,
and we remember that Pooh is like an uncut block of wood.

Where are you? Owl or Pooh or other?

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HIGH CEILINGS

Old Trunks is listening to the news. The report regards religion. It is said a church is starting on Facebook. The idea is you won't feel like a sinner signing on like you would if you were walking into a church building.

My question this morning is: Isn't the idea of feeling like a sinner or at least humble part of the go to church experience? Ministers and priests often told my Dad, a builder, the reason for the high ceilings it to make us feel small.

Are we not, as I asked Shirley, just filthy rags without spirituality according to religion? The older we get the more we realize there are different concepts to religion. It has been decades since I found a book called, The Tao of Pooh, where the author uses the characters in the big woods of the Winnie the Pooh stories to explain Tao. I am not saying I practice Tao, I am just saying it really allowed something wonderfully simple.


One of the basic principles of Taoism is P'U, the Uncarved Block. The essence of the Uncarved Block is that things in their original simplicity contain their own natural power, power that is easily spoiled and lost when that simplicity is changed. This principle applies not only to things, but to people as well. Or Bears. Which brings us to Pooh, the very Epitome of the Uncarved Block. When you discard arrogance, complexity, and a few, other things that get in the way, sooner or later you will discover that simple, childlike, and mysterious secret known to those of the Uncarved Block: Life is Fun. Along with that comes the ability to do things spontaneously and have them work, odd as that may appear to others at times.


Think about it.

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APRIL FOOLS DAY

Unlike most of the other non foolish holidays, the history of April Fool's Day, sometimes called All Fool's Day, is not totally clear. There really wasn't a "first April Fool's Day" that can be pinpointed on the calendar. Some believe it sort of evolved simultaneously in several cultures at the same time, from celebrations involving the first day of spring.

The closest point in time that can be identified as the beginning of this tradition was in 1582, in France. Prior to that year, the new year was celebrated for eight days, beginning on March 25. The celebration culminated on April 1. With the reform of the calendar under Charles IX, the Gregorian Calendar was introduced, and New Year's Day was moved to January 1.

However, communications being what they were in the days when news traveled by foot, many people did not receive the news for several years. Others, the more obstinate crowd, refused to accept the new calendar and continued to celebrate the new year on April 1. These backward folk were labeled as "fools" by the general populace. They were subject to some ridicule, and were often sent on "fools errands" or were made the butt of other practical jokes.

This harassment evolved, over time, into a tradition of prank-playing on the first day of April. The tradition eventually spread to England and Scotland in the eighteenth century. It was later introduced to the American colonies of both the English and French. April Fool's Day thus developed into an international fun fest, so to speak, with different nationalities specializing in their own brand of humor at the expense of their friends and families.

In Scotland, for example, April Fool's Day is actually celebrated for two days. The second day is devoted to pranks involving the posterior region of the body. It is called Taily Day. The origin of the "kick me" sign can be traced to this observance.

Mexico's counterpart of April Fool's Day is actually observed on December 28. Originally, the day was a sad remembrance of the slaughter of the innocent children by King Herod. It eventually evolved into a lighter commemoration involving pranks and trickery.

Pranks performed on April Fool's Day range from the simple, (such as saying, "Your shoe's untied!), to the elaborate. Setting a roommate's alarm clock back an hour is a common gag. Whatever the prank, the trickster usually ends it by yelling to his victim, "April Fool!"

Practical jokes are a common practice on April Fool's Day. Sometimes, elaborate practical jokes are played on friends or relatives that last the entire day. The news media even gets involved. For instance, a British short film once shown on April Fool's Day was a fairly detailed documentary about "spaghetti farmers" and how they harvest their crop from the spaghetti trees.

Tom's plan a few years ago was to tell me it was snowing. When that didn't work, he told me he was having a heart attack. It was snowing and he WAS having a heart attack. No April fool about that.

Are you a jester? Do you play tricks on your friends?

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