Emily Massey

Like thousands of other children, I grew up within the wonder and awe of the magical world of Winnie the Pooh. From books to VHS tapes of the classic movies and cartoons to stuffed animals and t-shirts, Winnie the Pooh was just a staple in  my childhood, just like it was for my mom when she was a little girl. So when I found I was pregnant several years ago, Winnie the Pooh was an obvious choice for the nursery theme.

And just like that, when my son was born, he was quickly introduced to “Pooh bear” and all of his friends in the 100 Acre Wood.

My little boy joined those thousands of other children who have been captivated by the classic stories of the adventures of Winnie the Pooh for nearly 90 years.

HOW CAN A CHILDREN’S FICTIONAL CHARACTER BECOME SO IMPACTFUL AND ICONIC FOR (LITERALLY) GENERATIONS?

I think that question can be better answered by understanding how the stories of Winnie the Pooh came to be, and Fox Searchlight Pictures’ film GOODBYE CHRISTOPHER ROBIN does just that by giving the viewer a glimpse into the life of the author of the Winnie the Pooh books, A.A. Milne, and the rest of his family, including his son, the real Christopher Robin.

I was selected to view a special online screening of the film recently and I can say that its presentation of the this true story moved me so deeply that it brought tears to my eyes.

As a writer and creative person myself, I understand that a piece of who you are is put into your masterpiece. A.A. Milne (played by Domhnall Gleeson in the film) not only put his heart and soul into his work as an author, but put his very own son’s life within the pages of the books of the adventures of Winnie the Pooh, as he observed Christopher Robin aka “Billy Moon” (played by the adorably, dimpled Will Tilston in the film) interact and play with his stuffed animals- creating his very own fantasy world with Winnie, Tigger, Kanga and Roo, Owl, Eeyore, and Piglet too.

Will Tilston in the film GOODBYE CHRISTOPHER ROBIN. Photo by David Appleby. © 2017 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation All Rights Reserved

Photo by David Appleby. © 2017 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation All Rights Reserved

Because A.A. Milne was already a successful London playwright, before writing the classic children’s tales and after he returned home from WWI, he was very well-off financially and was also married to an often spoiled and selfish woman (played by Margot Robbie) whose family seems to have also been very wealthy.

Domhnall Gleeson as in the film GOODBYE CHRISTOPHER ROBIN. Photo by David Appleby. © 2017 Fox Searchlight Pictures

Talent and riches come with a price, and we see as the movie unfolds, that it had a devastating impact on poor little Billy Moon who was raised by a (precious and loving) nanny from birth into the early years of his life. With the instant fame of the Winnie the Pooh books, one would think Billy Moon would have everything a child could ever want, but as we see the demands of promoting the books and the further neglect from his parents, this little boy who thousands of children admired and adored, often felt utterly alone and just wanted to be shown genuine love from his parents. This longing for acceptance seems to follow Billy into his late teens and early 20s.

Domhnall Gleeson, Will Tilston and Margot Robbie in the film GOODBYE CHRISTOPHER ROBIN. Photo by David Appleby. © 2017 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation All Rights Reserved

Like I said before, this film moved me to tears because there was such pain within the Milne family, such a juxtaposition to the sweet and happy stories of Winnie the Pooh. A man who brought such happiness during a time where nations were torn because of war and financial crisis, wrestled with his imperfections as a husband and father and was utterly haunted by his experiences in the war, causing a lot of mental anguish and delusion.

If you can endure the heaviness and disappointments (that seem to never let up) to the end, you will eventually find hope and a message that restoration and reconciliation are possible, even in the most seemingly impossible of circumstances. I like to hang onto that message of the movie because it reminds me of the goodness of God within our messy lives. He can take our ashes and make something beautiful out of it.

And in the case of Mr. A.A. Milne, decades later, we have the beauty of Winnie the Pooh, which is considered the most beloved children’s book of all time, that came from the ashes of his life at home that have brought joy to so many.

GOODBYE CHRISTOPHER ROBIN opens in select theaters, tomorrow, October 13th.

Here is a beautiful clip from the film of the brief moments of A.A. Milne spending quality time with his son, Christopher Robin, as we see the beginnings of Winnie the Pooh coming to life:

CLICK LINK TO VIEW: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=akmQKbxBzXA

Did you know that today is National Bring Your Teddy Bear to Work/School Day? 

I was completely unaware until I received a special package in the mail last week from Fox Searchlight Pictures. 

In honor of this special day and to help promote their new movie, GOODBYE CHRISTOPHER ROBIN, they sent me a limited edition Winnie-the-Pooh teddy bear to bring with me to work or school and take photos with him!

This particular Winnie the Pooh is a replica of the teddy bear that A.A. Milne’s son (the real Christopher Robin) owned, originally named “Edward,” that inspired the classic children’s stories of the magical world of Winnie the Pooh!

GOODBYE CHRISTOPHER ROBIN  gives a rare glimpse into the relationship between beloved children’s author A. A. Milne (Domhnall Gleeson) and his son Christopher Robin, whose toys inspired the magical world of Winnie the Pooh. Along with his mother Daphne (Margot Robbie), and his nanny Olive (Kelly Macdonald), Christopher Robin and his family are swept up in the international success of the books; the enchanting tales bringing hope and comfort to England after the First World War. –Fox Searchlight Pictures

Since I am a stay-home-momma, I wasn’t able to technically take my teddy bear to work, but my son and I were able to take him with us to a Bible study that we attend. And today just also happens to be my son’s birthday, so he was absolutely thrilled to be able to bring his new teddy bear with him to class and show his teachers and all of his little friends!

Here are some fun pictures I was able to snap of him and Edward aka Winnie the Pooh before I headed off to my class:

So I hope if you didn’t know about this special day, you take advantage of it next year!

Also, if you are like me and my family who are huge Winnie the Pooh fans, be sure to check out the trailer of GOODBYE CHRISTOPHER ROBIN below! I was blessed to be able to view an online screening on the film, and I am looking forward to sharing my thoughts with my readers. It was definitely interesting to see how this timeless children’s tale that has touch so many people for generations came to be! Stay tuned for a review soon.

GOODBYE CHRISTOPHER ROBIN opens THIS FRIDAY, OCTOBER 13TH, in select theaters!

CLICK FOR TRAILER: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rX1oe9JmtUw

A few weeks ago, Marcus from Psysci.co, reached out to me and asked if he would be able to share some encouragement on emilyrosemassey.com for my readers, especially regarding his expertise in psychology. He decided to write a blog about 5 Bible verses when you are feeling stressed out. Please welcome Marcus!

Whether you consider yourself to be religious or not, Bible verses hold basic humanistic truths that apply to various situations. The following Bible verses are especially comforting in times of stress and remind us that being anxious and worrying about things will do nothing to put you in a better state mentally, physically or spiritually.

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” [Philippians 4:6-7, ESV]

This verse is a constant reminder that the peace of God is freely accessible to everyone and can be so easily obtained through a simple prayer devoting your worries to God. To let your requests be made known to God through thanksgiving is a way to humble yourself and realize that God is bigger than any stressful situation that you might be going through. Keeping a gratitude journal is also a great exercise to help you reflect on the things in your life for which you are thankful.  

“Cast your burden on the Lord, and he will sustain you; he will never permit the righteous to be moved.” [Psalm 55:22, ESV]

By casting your burden on the Lord, you are transferring anxiety, stress and worry from the shoulders of a mere mortal to the hand of God that can hold an infinite amount of burdens without beckoning under the weight.

“When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The LORD is near to the broken-hearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all.” [Psalm 34:17-19, ESV]

The righteous are afflicted – this notion is not uncommon to the world in which we live. In fact, it forms the basis of every good versus evil battle that is represented in the movies we watch, the books we read, the conversations we have and even the relationships we form with those around us. Heartbreak, affliction, sadness, hurt and other stress-inducing emotions are impartial in the sense that everyone will experience these at some point throughout their lives. This Bible verse offers a glimmer of hope and the promise of the ultimate hero to save us when we are in distress, all through God’s great grace and mercy.

“Even youths shall faint and be weary, and young men shall fall exhausted; but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.” [Isaiah 40:30-31, ESV]

Often, a state of distress and worry will urge an unhealthy desire to intervene in situations out of our own strength with disastrous results.  Patience is a virtue for a reason and by devoting time to praying and hearing God’s voice and His desire for you to be peaceful and achieve success in whatever you do, you are sure to be renewed in spirit. God’s divine intervention is on His perfect timing, not yours – distract yourself from stress by doing exercise, meditating or doing something that you enjoy and trust that God will bring you a new sense of calm.

“Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.” [Matthew 6:34, ESV]

This last Bible verse speaks directly to the crux of stressful situations. There will always be something to worry about but by worrying, you are not adding a single moment to your life – in fact, you’re doing the opposite! The articles found here, here and heredetail the effects of stress and worry on both your physical and mental states of health. Focus on one thing at a time to avoid reaching a point of breakdown and take time in your day to address the problems that continually cause stress and anxiety. Be confident in your ability to overcome and remind yourself of these inspiring Bible verses whenever you are stressed.

About the Author: Marcus has a degree in psychology, a master’s degree in health psychology and has worked within the NHS as well as private organisations. Marcus started psysci a psychology and science blog in order to disseminate research into bitesize, meaningful and helpful resources.