I was listening to the radio as I do most nights, tuned into ABC’s “Late Night Live” hosted by that excellent journalist and author David Marr. The program was profiling the famous bear, Winnie the Pooh who has just turned 100! What wisdom lies in the mind of a bear that has lived for 100 Years!

Winnie first appeared in a children’s story commissioned by London’s Evening News - the date was Christmas Eve 1925. The author was A.A.Milne with E.H. Shepherd as the excellent illustrator. Like many Successful Children’s stories, it has over the hundred years been presented in a variety of books and in a number of successful movies. The first book was published in 1926.

As in many fine children’s books the characters are easy to love, they are not simple, but characters with depth. Adults can also enjoy the characters as they read these stories to their children.

A.A. Milne wrote for his young son Christopher Robin. Christopher’s toy animals were the models for the characters in the story as was Christopher Robin.

Ages ago I enjoyed a TV program about the real origins of Winnie the Pooh, who is incidentally a male bear.

So, what inspired A.A. Milne to write the story about a bear? He saw this black bear in the London Zoo and he, a Christopher Robin, loved to go and visit her. Yes, she was a female bear. But where did she come from? Her name was “Winnipeg” and she was purchased by a Vet, Harry Colebourn in White River Ontario. He came from “Winnipeg” himself. Harry was a Canadian soldier in the Army Veterinarian Corps and was on his way to serve in France in World War 1. The bear spent time as a mascot in the army, but when Coleburn was sent to France, he left the bear for safe keeping at the London Zoo. It was there that “Winnipeg” became a favourite with the visitors, especially children and two of the really enthusiastic visitors were Christopher Robin and his father.

World War 1 wore on and every time he had leave for England Harry went to the Zoo to visit “Winnipeg”. He loved the bear but knew how popular she was, so he unselfishly donated her permanently to the Zoo in 1919 for Children to enjoy for years to come.

Inspired by “Winnipeg” A.A. Milne began to write stories about a bear called “Winnie”, which became “Winnie the Pooh”. The stories evolved because of A.A. Milne’s desire to write meaningful, entertaining stories that were relevant to children but also were crafted so they also had important meanings for adults as well. He had a knack of being able to reach into the minds of both children and adults. And we also know that a picture is worth a thousand words and the illustrations in the books helped bring the story to life.

So “Winnie the Pooh” is now 100 years old. In this age of hi-tech movies and other sophisticated presentations, the depth and value of good stories is still very much alive today. When a teacher reads to their students they are doing such an important exercise and the hope is that parents are doing the same at home. Effective Listening is such an important activity for all ages, but it needs to be practiced.

Winnie the Pooh was famous for his thought-provoking sayings relevant to people of most ages. Here are some favourites.

 “A hug is always the right size.”

 “Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your

  Heart.

 “You’re braver than you believe, Stronger than you seem and       

   Smarter than you think.”

 “People say nothing is impossible, but I do nothing everyday.”

 “A day without a friend is like a pot without a single drop of honey

  left inside.”

 “If there ever comes a day when we can’t be together, keep me in

  your heart, I’ll stay there forever.”

 “Some people care too much. I think it's called love.”

 “When Life throws you a rainy day, play in the puddles.”

  It is of benefit to reflect on each one of these.

Written by Chris Tudor