Sunday Worship at 8am, 9am & 11:15 am · Details

  4925 Oriole Drive, Wilmington, NC 28403  ·   (910) 395-0616  ·   Give

Church of the Servant Wilmington
  • Welcome
  • Worship
    • Lenten Offerings
    • Holy Week and Easter Day
    • Sundays
    • Sermons
    • Music
    • Labyrinth
    • Baptism
    • Adult Confirmation / Reception / Reaffirmation of Faith
    • Weddings
    • Funerals & Memorial Services
  • Seek
    • Children
    • Youth
    • Adults
  • Serve
    • Parish Care
    • Racial Equity Project
    • Serving in the Community
    • Worship Roles
  • Celebrate
    • Parish Events
    • Social Groups
  • Stewardship
  • Connect
    • Servants Sharing Stories
    • Calendar
    • Staff & Leadership
    • News & Events
    • Tideline Newsletter
    • Rector's Blog
    • History of Church of the Servant
    • 2022 Annual Report
    • Contact Us
  • Give

Words of Wisdom from our Fictional Animal Friends - Luleen S. Anderson

It’s hard to explain how a few precious things can follow us throughout our lives. Some of my precious things include words of wisdom from several classic children’s books.

As a psychologist and writer for more than 50 years, and having celebrated my 88th birthday, I find myself thinking about the words of wisdom of some of my favorite fictional animal characters. I’m enjoying re-reading some of my childhood favorites, focusing on some of the quotes of enlightened characters.

Here are four of my favorites:

Winnie-the-Pooh, The Little Prince, The Velveteen Rabbit and Old Turtle. The characters in each story have words of wisdom to guide us on our journey through life.

Winnie-the-Pooh (A.A. Milne, 1926):

I love Pooh’s sense of responsibility and work ethic: “I have to be back to the House at Pooh Corner by 1:00. What do you know, there’s so much to be done: count all the bees in the hive; chase all the clouds from the sky.”

“A hug,” said Pooh “is always the right size”.

“Sometimes the smallest things take up the most room in your heart.”

The Little Prince (Antoine de Saint-Exupery, 1943):

Perhaps my all-time favorite, this book is full of insightful quotes. Take, for example, Fox’s observation about the importance of relationships: “You become responsible forever for what you have tamed.” And his comments to the Little Prince about how to understand what is important: “And now, here is my secret, a very simple secret. It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye.”

The Velveteen Rabbit (Margery Williams, 1922):

In his struggle to determine if he is still real since his coat has become worn and cotton is poking out. “What is real?” asked the Rabbit.

“Real isn’t how you are made,” said the Skin Horse. “It’s a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with you, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real.” Then the Skin Horse added another thought. “Once you are Real you can’t become unreal again. It lasts for always.”

“To him he was always beautiful, and that was all that the little Rabbit cared about. He didn’t mind how he looked to other people, because the nursery magic had made him Real, and when you are Real, shabbiness doesn’t really matter.”

Old Turtle (Douglas Wood, 1992):

Although not a ‘furry’ friend, perhaps the best wisdom of all comes from a picture book called Old Turtle. This book, which has won seven major awards, and, is, I believe, destined to become a classic, is compassionately written and has stunning artistry.

Listening to the mountains and lakes, the wind and the rain and finally human beings arguing about who God is and/or who He belongs to, Old Turtle reminded them that “God is in everyone and in the beauty of the earth.” After a time, the people began to understand Old Turtle’s wisdom and to act on this new awareness. Rivalry ceased when they began to do that. When he saw that happening, Old Turtle smiled.

These words of wisdom from children’s books have influenced me in significant ways. I invite you to select your favorite from your bookshelf, find a comfortable, cozy chair, settle in, and revisit your old friends. You will find that in doing so, your heart will smile.

Tags: Words of Wisdom from Some of Our Favorite Readings (June 2022)

Episcopal Diocese of East CarolinaThe Episcopal Church Church of the Servant Facebook

Sunday Worship
8 am, 9 am and 11:15 am
More Info

© Church of the Servant
4925 Oriole Drive
Wilmington, NC 28403
(910) 395-0616

Powered by Membership Vision

Contact Us

  View Entire Post

Service Times

Sunday Worship

  • 8:00 am Holy Eucharist without music
  • 9:00 am Interactive Holy Eucharist
  • 11:15 am Holy Eucharist with music

Location

Church of the Servant Wilmington
4925 Oriole Drive
Wilmington, NC 28403

Contact Us
(910) 395-0616

Newsletter Signup

Welcome Sunday Worship Who We Are Life Events / Sacraments Becoming a Member

What are you looking for?

These are the first words spoken by Jesus in John’s gospel, directed to a seeker named Andrew. We are all seekers, and while we may not know how to express what it is we’re looking for, we trust that we’ll know it when we see it.

At Church of the Servant, we seek, serve, and celebrate God and each other in a safe and accepting community. We welcome people from various backgrounds and ethnicities, those who are straight, LGBTQ, married, partnered, single, from other denominations and faith traditions, life-long Episcopalians, brand new to church or returning to church after a long absence.

Come and SeeWelcome Card

We want you to feel comfortable coming to Church of the Servant for the first time! Whether you are attending your first ever Episcopal service or you “know the ropes,” every church is a little different. Here are answers to some Frequently Asked Questions. And if you still have more questions, just ask! We’re a friendly bunch and were all first-timers once.

Worship FAQs

Learn More About Worship

Who we are…

  • We are an inclusive group of people searching for spirituality and meaning in our lives.
  • We honor people for who they are and where they are in their lives.
  • We live our lives in thanksgiving for the love that God has bestowed on all creation, rather than live our lives in order to earn that love.
  • We are a growing church filled with love and creativity.
  • We work together, play together and search together.

Welcome Card

God is present in every occasion of our lives. Together we mark these special times with celebrations of worship to highlight the ways in which God is always at work throughout the events of our lives.

Baptism Confirmation Weddings Funerals

Though not like a social or professional organization, the Episcopal Church does have membership criteria. These aren’t meant to say who is "in" or who is "out", but instead, to establish who has taken an intentional step to be part of a worshiping community and who is either still discerning, or someone we should invite to join us on this faith journey!

Membership & Membership Transfers


Hearted Hands - The message “Go in peace to love and serve the Lord!” rings out on Sunday mornings and it doesn’t end there. Being the hands of Christ in the world is an essential part of the shared nature of ministry at Church of the Servant. Stewardship in several forms – sharing of our time, talent, and treasure - is the essence of hearted hands ministry.

Give Now Pledge Card Ways to Give


Hearted Hands Ministry