I don’t want to get repetitive or pretentious about this, but it really is hard to write this column this week without thinking about the World Trade Center. I’ll go back to being funny next week, but this column has a big hole where Tuesday should be, and I can’t go from that straight to being cute and cranky again.
Luckily, Bear operates on telepathic principles; he can see directly into my heart and give me whatever I need, which in this case is inspiration and comfort.
Thursday’s episode is “The Tutter Family Reunion,” in which all of Tutter’s relatives descend on Bear’s house for a big party. Bear helpfully explains that “there are so many different kinds of families,” which is just the kind of thing I need to brighten my day right now. The Tutters are all different from each other – and, without making a big deal about it, it’s clear that they come from all over the world. There’s a Scottish mouse with a bagpipe, a Mexican mouse with a serape, a mouse with a fez, a mouse with an Austrian accent. All of them are welcome at Bear’s house, and all of them are important members of Tutter’s family. Even when Treelo, Ojo and the otters feel left out, Tutter apologizes and tells them that they’re his family too. There’s disagreements, but they all listen to each other, and try their best to love each other.
Friday’s episode is “The Best Thanksgiving Ever,” where the Bear family celebrates Thanksgiving and talks about how thankful they are to be alive, and how lucky they are to be together with people that they love.
Is this too obvious? I hate to be corny about this. My usual defense against this kind of sentimentality is a healthy sarcastic distance, but I really am thankful that there are American kids who are getting daily doses of Bear. He telepathically zeroes in on whatever I need because Bear speaks right to the heart. He avoids easy answers – he never pretends that everyone just naturally gets along without fighting and disagreeing – but he also doggedly insists that we can work through our disagreements by talking and listening and remembering what’s really important.
What can I say? I just love the guy, and I’m glad that I spent this week watching his show. Normal cranky service will be resumed next week.
by Danny Horn
