When I was a little kid, I eagerly woke up in the mornings to the reminder that I “gotta get up, gotta get going” if I wanted to see a certain bear and his friends. The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh was something magical that surpassed the realm of mere television entertainment. It hit that special sweet spot that provided something for everyone: catchy songs, clever jokes, and wholesome references that adults would enjoy.
Looking back, I owe quite a bit to The New Adventures of Winnie the Pooh. To this day, I repeat the lyrics to the song from the theater (you know, the one that says “It’s just a light that shines real bright and bounces off a screen”) in the premier episode, “Pooh Oughta Be In Pictures,” whenever I see something scary in a movie. That show taught me it was okay to be afraid of things and that you can still be a hero when you are scared.
One of my fondest childhood memories is of my Mom, brother and me watching the “The Piglet Who Would Be King” and laughing until we cried at the little heffalump squealing about the Land of Milk and Honey. Just when we got our breath back from laughing, Mom would rewind the tape (she had recorded the episode on our VCR) and the giggle fit would begin all over again. I have a lot of nice memories like that, now that I think about it. Mom and I still randomly quote lines from episodes (one of our favorites is “We are trapped! Trapped like ratchets!”).
I love the feeling of having those shared memories and, in a way, a shared world to return to. I will always have the 100 Acre Wood and will continue to keep those moments near my heart. Thank you, you silly old bear.