I’ve been thinkin’ a lot about Eeyore lately…how often in the real world the Eeyore in us or others, is judged or left out and often treated like a downpour of rain arriving at a summer BBQ.
I have often judged the Eeyore within me…chased him away for a more “pleasant” part of myself. Lately though I’ve been turning my thinking around and am embracing Eeyore, the Eeyore in me and the Eeyore in others….
With Eeyore’s affinity to looking down rather than up…he brings into reality what he sees down there…sadness, injustice, heart-ache.
The other parts of ourselves can choose what to do with what Eeyore brings to our consciousness. For example, Pooh runs to tell Rabbit…Rabbit organizes a rally while Pooh eats honey. Then, they gather the others– Piglet (with a gamut of questions about what they are marching for), Tigger (bouncing up and down with a sign that owl has misspelled), Kanga (who’s sewn matching t-shirts for them all) and Roo (who holds a mini-misspelled owl written sign). Soon they are marching: something’s being done about what Eeyore has brought into consciousness.
One of the greatest lessons I learn from the AA Milne’s stories is that of unconditional love and acceptance…characters with virtues and flaws accepting each other, being there for each other when needed, (even if they’re driving each other nuts!). Pooh, Rabbit, Piglet, Kanga, Roo, Tigger, Owl…and Eeyore…own a “knowing” that each is as valuable and as neccessary as the other.
So the next time we are faced with our ”inner Eeyore” or a friend or co-worker’s “Eeyorish” attitude…we might put ourselves right in the middle of the Hundred Acre Wood and ask “Hmmm…what would Winnie the Pooh do”?
Love this Kerry! The unconditional love in AA Milne’s stories is a new idea for me and should have been obvious! Thanks for bringing it to our attention.
Yes, this is great. Always ‘looking on the bright side’ seems unrealistic to me and doesn’t really help personal growth. It’s the difficult stuff that makes us.