Inspiring | Heroes

The Most Unexpected Hero and Role Model You’ll Ever See

And for reasons you wouldn’t imagine

Mine is not your standard-issue hero, the person who has rushed into a burning building or leapt into a raging river or performed some other bit of amazingness to save a life. While those heroes will always have my greatest admiration and respect, they are for another story.

My hero is attributed to A.A. Milne and was inspired by a stuffed toy that belonged to his son, Christopher Robin. First appearing in 1928 in the story collection, The House at Pooh Corner, “Tigger” has bounced his way into the hearts of millions.

“Hallooooooooo!” my enthusiastic hero would say, while bouncing into the room on his spring-coiled tail.

If you haven’t had the pleasure of “meeting” Tigger, you don’t know what you’re missing. He’s one of the best role models on the planet. Always joyful, spirited, and completely fearless, he brightens up even the cloudiest of days.

He came bouncing (on his tail, coiled into a spring) into the Hundred Acre Wood one day, bringing with him a colourful burst of energy and a zest for life that Christopher Robin’s friends had never seen.

“I’m Tigger!” he announced. “T- I- double-Guh-Er. Tigger!”

He sums himself up quite well in the Tigger song… (Puh-leeeease do yourself a favour and enjoy this delightful one-minute video at some point!)

One of Winnie-the-Pooh’s best friends, Tigger is about as extroverted and cheerful as anyone can be. Occasionally, there is one mishap or another because of his excessive enthusiasm, or his overly optimistic beliefs about what he can do — without ever having tried, and when he does, it often goes awry.

All the others who live with him in the Hundred Acre Wood have varying reactions to his boisterous bouncing. Pooh is patient and tolerant of pretty much anyone and anything. Easy-going and non-judgemental, he accepts Tigger for who he is, including his faults (although Tigger is entirely unaware that he has any at all).

Always saying that Tigger is very large, tiny Piglet is a little nervous in his presence — but then, he’s always a little nervous about something. He’s never quite sure what Tigger is going to do next and worries that he’ll cause some terrible disaster because…well…Tigger does manage to find his share of those.

Little Roo looks up to Tigger with hero-worshipping adoration. Eeyore, always as gloomy and depressed as anyone could be while still drawing breath, is quietly envious, wishing he could be as happy as Tigger but believing — and accepting — that misery is his lot in life.

And then there’s Rabbit.

Oh, dear. He’s not at all as sweet and cuddly as you’d think someone called “Rabbit” should be. Not a chance. He’s a curmudgeon of the first order. As curmudgeonly as they come.

Short-tempered and irritable on his best days, he’s got absolutely no patience for Tigger’s enthusiasm and bouncing. Rabbit is always telling him to go away, or stop bouncing, or both.

But Tigger, who always sees the best in everyone and everything, remains oblivious to Rabbit’s dislike of him. He carries on being his lovable Tigger Self, unaware that his effervescence is driving Rabbit over the edge.

One day, Tigger excitedly bounces his way through Rabbit’s garden, accidentally ruining it while innocently being himself. Thoroughly fed up, Rabbit devises a plan to lose Tigger once and for all in the misty woods.

However, much to his chagrin, Rabbit is the one who ends up lost — and frightened — and with a lot to think about — when it is Tigger who rescues him “…because Tiggers never get lost!”

And aren’t we lucky that they don’t!

Think of the Tiggers in your life. You know the ones I mean. Those delightfully cheerful, ever-optimistic people who brighten up even the most miserably dark day, sometimes with just a few bubbly words and a big, broad smile.

Or those playful, childlike people in your world who love a good dose of silliness, and who do their best to make you giggle.

How do they do it? How do they put on those big smiles and seem so genuinely happy all the time? Don’t they have challenges and bad days, too?

Of course they do. And so does Tigger. He takes a lot of criticism and gets a lot of grief from his friends in the Hundred Acre Wood, and bad things happen to him, just as they do to his friends.

But he’s got a great attitude. If things ever get him down, he refuses to stay there. He chooses to look at the bright side, to focus on finding the joy in life, and to see the good in all situations.

He trusts that everything is going to be just fine, no matter what.

He’s a brilliant role model for children and adults alike.

Many of us could stand to be a lot more like Tigger. Personally speaking, I work at that every day.

And to that, my fuzzy striped hero would say, with his big Tigger smile, and an even bigger Tigger bounce, “Woo-hoo-hoo-HOOOOOOO!!”

And here are some quick ways to feel happier that I’m sure Tigger would love:

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This article was originally published on libertyforrest.com

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