Winnie-the-Pooh Watches: A Basic Item That Can Put a Grin on your Face

It was Thursday afternoon and I was sitting in a meeting at work where the topic on the table was the corporate budget. Each department had to defend vigorously every dollar they were planning to spend in the next fiscal year. And, of course, less would be available next year than this. Heated words were exchanged more than once. It was not a pretty scene. In the midst of this I reached over to grab a copy of last year's budget for comparison and my sleeve raised up to reveal my new Winnie-the-Pooh watch on my wrist. The chief financial officer, who was leading the meeting, glimpsed my Winnie-the-Pooh watch and let out a loud chuckle. He said, "I've been a huge fan of Winnie since I was a boy and I wish I had a watch like that. Yours has lifted my spirits."  My Winnie the Pooh watch was simple in design yet the craftsmanship and good artwork were obvious. I considered buying an Eeyore watch. For some reason I can't explain, I loved Eeyore when I was a child as much as I loved Winnie. Perhaps I admired his honesty, his refusal to cover up how he was really feeling by saying that he was doing fine. I think I will buy an Eeyore watch next. But I am also going to buy a Tigger watch. Certainly no one in the Hundred Acre Wood possesses as much energy as Tigger does. I could certainly use more energy at work, particularly in the middle of the afternoon. Maybe seeing Tigger on my wrist would give me that little bit of inspiration I need.But Winnie-the-Pooh probably equaled Tigger in his boldness. Remember the time Winnie tried to disguise himself as a rain cloud in order to take honey from a bee hive?  Now, that is the epitome of boldness. Soon everyone in the budget meeting was talking about the cartoons they grew up with and loved. The thick tension in the room evaporated, replaced with joyous nostalgia. One colleague even showed us the Tweety watch that had remained hidden under her sleeve. Everyone laughed and the foray into happy thoughts helped everyone to come to an agreement much sooner than they would have. It's amazing what a simple little thing like a cartoon watch can do.