from pooh corner...

Winnie-the-Pooh sat down at the foot of the tree, put his head between his paws, and began to think.

There is little argument among my aquaintences that I most closely resemble A. A. Milne's Rabbit. And yet, at times, I also channel our favorite Bear of Very Little Brain.

Like Winnie-ther-Pooh ["don't you know what 'ther' means?" "Ah, yes, now i do," i said quickly; and i hope you do too, because it is all the explanation you are going to get"], I have to do my thinking in a Thinking Spot. Being a city chap and lacking a fallen log in the woods, I've given my neighborhood Starbucks the honor.

I escape to that magical place where the music is peaceful and subconscious, the people [with and without the green aprons] are friendly, and the world revolves are a warm, soothing beverage. I am able to sit and surreptitiously tap my empty head with a finger, repeating the mantra, 'think, think, think.'

I complained to my family yesterday that school has been out for a week and a half, and yet I'm still having stress headaches. My mom's response was to raise her eyebrows and say, "Well, you do worry about everything..." I wouldn't say I worry so much as think about everything. But they're probably the same thing. I'm too busy thinking to figure out some other way of living.

Here is Edward Bear, coming downstairs now, bump, bump, bump, on the back of his head, behind Christopher Robin. It is, as far as he knows, the only way of coming downstairs, but sometimes he feels that there really is another way, if only he could stop bumping for a moment and think of it.

I'm glad that my life is adventurous enough to deserve contemplation and even some worry. My world is big enough that I can plot my exploration through word, picture, and country. I have the freedom to dream bigger than most people.

But right now, I'm learning how to wait. I'm trying to pound it into my frail heart and forgetful head that my plans are in God's hands, that my only responsibility is knowing Him. I know my purpose, but I don't know about all the little things like school, relationships, money, travel, home, etc. Moving closer to Him, my lack of Real Life plans doesn't seem so worrisome anymore. Because perhaps, the Adventure of knowing Him is Real Life afterall...

As soon as he saw the Big Boots, Pooh knew that an Adventure was going to happen, and he brushed the honey off his nose with the back of his paw, and spruced himself up as well as he could, so as to look Ready for Anything.