Thank you to everyone who entered the giveaway of the Glimsen mug. The giveaway is now over. Stay tuned for more giveaways in the future.
This is a season of change for our family.
Three little blond girls--cousins--who grew up together are now three young adults. The oldest just graduated from college, the two youngest from high school.
Very soon, Mart and I will be taking ours to college.
As a family celebration for my niece's graduation, we went to the High Museum of Art to see the exhibition, Winnie-the-Pooh, Exploring a Classic. The exhibition celebrates "the history and legacy of Pooh through original sketches, photographs, memorabilia, and letters."
Pooh is special to all three generations of our family. And we aren't the only ones who love the stories, considering the number of people there, many of whom were adults without children.
The book series was created by two gifted British men: author A.A. Milne (1882-1956) and illustrator E. H. Shepard (1879-1976). Milne had made a name for himself as an accomplished writer and associate editor of Punch, a magazine that lampooned British politics and society.
Fatherhood inspired Milne to write verses for children. For inspiration, he used his son, Christopher Robin, and the little boy’s stuffed bear and other favorite toys as well. And Winnie-the-Pooh was born.
Shepard had also been successful through Punch, and his style was a perfect complement to Milne’s text. Nowhere was that more obvious to me than at the exhibition at the High Museum.
After the poems first appeared in the magazine, the book When We Were Very Young was published in 1924. Three more books featuring Pooh and his friends followed over the next few years. Together, the series became known as the Christopher Robin books.
On that Sunday afternoon, we wandered through the exhibit, taking note of the creativity and taking photos of life-size graphics and special pieces that brought it to life. The artwork and the stories brought back many memories of our girls enjoying Pooh and saying things like, "Pooh's stuck, Mommy!" and "Silly old bear!" We couldn't help but think about those days fondly and miss them a little bit.
Especially now, when our girls are officially leaving childhood behind.
Even though I am dropping my daughter off at college soon, I take heart in two favorite quotes from A.A. Milne: “But, of course, it isn't really Good-bye, because the Forest will always be there...”
This isn't really good-bye. It's just the end of one chapter, and I can't wait to see what happens next.
And my second favorite Milne quote: “The most important thing is, even when we’re apart … I’ll always be with you …” With that, much love to you, my dear Madeline, in this new chapter of your life. The Lord bless you and keep you until we meet again.
What childhood stories did you enjoy? Are you a Winnie-the-Pooh fan? Let me know in the comments.
I'm honored that you've taken time out of your day to stop by my blog, Glimsen, where I share glimpses of the beauty around us in nature, the arts, and the unexpected. If you like what you see, sign up to receive my blog posts and updates by email, and you'll receive a free gift of beauty in your inbox. You can also find me on Facebook and Instagram. I look forward to connecting with you.
