How the Light Gets In

The Teddies were more subdued than usual, despite the bright, sunny day. They’d felt as though they’d lost one of their own ever since Teddy Kennedy passed away. That had been a few days ago, and their initial sadness had transformed over the days into a more contemplative mood, especially among the older Teds, regarding life and loss and the goodness of hugs and kisses.  

Even the younger ones, picking up on the more thoughtful demeanor of their elders, were more quiet than usual. Except for Itsy. Someone had made the mistake of telling her that some people commemorate a great person’s life by shooting guns off into the air. Itsy had decided to do some of her own commemorating by firing her toy cannon into the woods. “Ka-WHOOMPF! Ka-WHOOMPF!” Most of the other little ones, however, sat or lay on the picnic blanket, napping or listening to Shoshonna and Letta tell them fairy tales while they ate strawberry shortcake.  

Birnie and Biwi had flown off early in the morning, heading for the heart of Africa, where they were to drop Tweed off for his latest adventure among the pygmies. Then they were flying off on another secret bombing mission. As usual, however, they would be back by dinnertime. They never missed one of their Mommola’s dinners.

Mr. Fluffy, Kippy, and Sassafras sat at the table under the umbrella on the deck and discussed the week’s events. A dark brown bear of medium size who, unlike most of the other Teds, tends to prefer to walk on all fours, Sassafras is our Teddy psychologicalist and counselor. She had made the rounds among the Teds these past few days soothing troubled spirits and encouraging hope and joy in what tomorrow brings. Not until today did she find the time to sit and contemplate the implications of the passing of another great human bean named Teddy. Mr. Fluffy, with Kippy always at his side, had assisted Sassafras in comforting the rest of the Teds over the past few days. Now the three of them sat and talked quietly among themselves, trying to find meaning in all that had occurred this sad but memorable week.

“Well, that was exhausting,” Kippy remarked. “I don’t know how you two do it, tending to the needs of so many distraught Teds.”

“Oh, it wasn’t all that bad,” Sassafras assured him. “Not that it wasn’t tiring,” she said, managing a thin smile. “But at least Teds generally don’t have the kinds of severe emotional problems that human beans do.”

“Thank heaven,” said Mr. Fluffy fervently, sipping from his tea cup.

“Yes, I’ve noticed how much more even-tempered Teddies tend to act than do human beans,” Kippy observed. “They don’t seem to get depressed as much for one thing.”

“Teds don’t usually get depressed,” Sassafras informed him quietly. “They get compressed sometimes but rarely depressed.”  

“And then it just takes a little petting and patting to get them back into shape once again,” Mr. Fluffy added.

“I wonder why there is such a difference between Teddies and human beans in that regard,” Kippy wondered aloud.

“Well,” said Sassafras, “we Transfurians would say it’s because the basic needs of Teddies are more likely to be met than are those of human beans.”

“Transfurians? What’s that?” asked Kippy, the linguist, always eager to learn a new word.

“That’s the kind of Teddy psychologicalist I am,” Sassafras told him. “Transfurians believe there is more to a Ted’s emotional well-being than just the state of his or her fur and stuffing. Thus, trans, meaning beyond, fur. Transfurians. Beyond the fur.”

“Ah,” said Kippy, appreciatively.  

“Teddy Bears are usually provided with all of the food, shelter, hugs, and kisses that they need, thanks to their human beans,” Sassafras explained further.

“So they’re free to explore the higher realms of love and spirit?” asked Mr. Fluffy.

“Yes, exactly,” Sassafras confirmed. “Human beans, on the other hand, often have a more difficult time of it.”

“Some spend all their life just trying to secure food and shelter for themselves and their loved ones,” Mr. Fluffy observed.  

“Leaving them little time to consider higher things,” Sassafras concluded.

“This sounds a lot like that theory of a hierarchy of needs that the human psychologist Abraham Maslow got from his Teddy Bear Zippy,” Kippy said.

“Exactly,” Sassafras agreed. “Zippy knew what she was talking about. At least, that’s what we Transfurians believe.”

“Refresh me a little on what this hierarchy of needs is all about,” requested Kippy.

“It’s usually illustrated by a pyramid of five levels,” Sassafras explained, “with the highest level representing a person’s highest aspirations, while the lowest represents the most basic needs. The lowest levels of needs must be met before a person can move on to trying to satisfy the higher levels of needs.”

She took a bite of strawberry shortcake, followed by a sip of tea, then continued, “The lowest level represents needs of the body, like eating, breathing, sleeping, and shelter. Only once those needs are met can a person go on to try to meet the needs of the next level, which all relate to the need for safety, security, and good health.

“Once those needs are met, a person can strive to meet the needs of the third level, which have to do with friendship and love. After meeting those, the need for self-esteem, which is the fourth level, becomes important.

“Only after all of the needs of the first four levels are met can a person seek what he or she needs most, which is to become what he or she was born to be, to attain their full potential. Zippy and Maslow called that the need for self-actualization. I think of it as the need to be who you are and to become who you are meant to be,” Sassafras concluded.

“Be true to your Self,” Mr. Fluffy observed. “It’s a kind of yoga or spiritual practice. Taoist’s call it practicing Sincerity.”

“Yes,” Sassafras agreed. “Transfurians call it living with authenticity.”

“Fascinating,” said Kippy.  

“Indeed. As it happens, this all fits very nicely with the reading I got today when I consulted The Teddy Bear I Ching,” Mr. Fluffy told the other two. 

“What was your question?” Kippy asked, curling his paws around his cup of strawberry honey tea.

“I asked what makes a person great,” Mr. Fluffy said. “The reading I got was quite intriguing and to the point.”

“As usual,” Sassafras noted, smiling quietly at Mr. Fluffy and Kippy. Even though Benjamin was given credit as author of The Teddy Bear I Ching, Kippy had done most of the original translation work, and Mr. Fluffy had provided invaluable consultation every step of the way.

From the edge of the woods, Itsy’s cannon sounded, “Ka-WHOOMPF!”

Everyone at the table smiled at that.

“So how did it answer your question?” Kippy asked Mr. Fluffy.

“It sounded a lot like everything we’ve been discussing, actually. In regards to what makes a person great, I threw hexagram 14 changing to hexagram 9, that is, ‘Treasure’ changing to ‘Details, Details.’” Opening up a copy of The Teddy Bear I Ching, Mr. Fluffy read, “The Main Point for ‘Treasure’ is ‘A clear mind, strength of purpose, and a sweet heart: these are priceless treasures.’”

“Well, that certainly answers your question loud and clear,” Sassafras commented.

“Yes, and then some,” Kippy agreed. “What’s the Main Point for ‘Details, Details’?”

Leafing back through the book, Mr. Fluffy stopped when he found his place and read, “‘Each step counts. There are no shortcuts. Take a deep breath and count to 10. Remember to look both ways before crossing the street.’”

“Now, that’s interesting,” Sassafras said, gazing into her tea cup thoughtfully.

“Why’s that?” asked Kippy.

“Well, I think we can agree that the Main Point for the first hexagram, ‘Treasure,’ clearly describes characteristics you would expect of a great person.”

“Sure,” Kippy and Mr. Fluffy agreed in unison, then looked over at each other and smiled at the coincidence.

“But the Main Point for ‘Details, Details’ suggests there’s more to it than just having a clear mind, strength of purpose, and a sweet heart,” she continued. “You also need to pay attention to details and follow through on each necessary step in what you do without taking any shortcuts. Now that takes patience and an appreciation not only of the large view but of the small as well.”

“Taken together I think the Main Points of the two hexagrams might relate to the necessity of making practical use of one’s highest ideals,” Mr. Fluffy suggested. “That’s not always the easiest thing to do.”

“What were the readings for the changing lines?” Kippy asked Mr. Fluffy.

“Let’s see,” Mr. Fluffy said, leafing through the book again. “They were 9 in the fourth and 6 in the fifth. The fourth line of ‘Treasure’ reads, ‘Time to be a little more discriminating. Consider your position. No need to get lost in the crowd. But don’t be a showoff, either.’ And the fifth line reads, ‘Give, but don’t get taken.’”

“Hmmm, those are in general agreement with what we’ve been saying, I think,” Kippy observed. The other two nodded their heads in agreement. “So how do the lines read in ‘Details, Details’?”

Turning back to that hexagram, Mr. Fluffy said, “The fifth line says, ‘Small truths become big truths, and small lies become big lies. Only the truth gains confidence and removes all obstacles to success.’”

“That sounds like another way of describing living with authenticity,” said Sassafras.

“And Sincerity,” said Mr. Fluffy.

“And the fifth line of ‘Details, Details’?” prompted Kippy.

“‘Loyal and true – that’s what a best friend means to you,’” read Mr. Fluffy.

The three of them were silent for a few moments as they considered the implications of Mr. Fluffy’s reading from the The Teddy Bear I Ching, especially in the light of the week’s events. A cloud covered the sun for a moment. A hawk flew by overhead, crying urgently into the late afternoon sky. “Ka-WHOOMPF!” went Itsy’s cannon.

Finally breaking the silence, Mr. Fluffy asked quietly, “We’ve been talking about Teddy Kennedy, haven’t we?”

“Pretty much, I guess,” said Kippy. “He was certainly a great man. Although, he did have his flaws.”

“What human bean doesn’t?” asked Sassafras. “That’s what it means to be human, I sometimes think.”

“I don’t think their flaws necessarily diminish their accomplishments,” offered Mr. Fluffy. “Often, their accomplishments seem all the greater because of their flaws.”

Silence enveloped the table once again. Until Sassafras ventured a quote from Leonard Cohen’s song, “Anthem.” “‘There’s a crack, a crack in everything….’”

“‘That’s how the light gets in,’” Kippy finished the quote.

“Yes,” agreed Mr. Fluffy, “that’s how the light gets in.”

“Ka-WHOOMPF!” sounded Itsy’s cannon, as the rays of the sun burst forth once again and the hawk wheeled round overhead, crying and crying into the blazing light.