At its core,
the teddy bear is not considered intimidating. It is small, fluffy, and cuddly.
It’s not considered to be a hero, or an action figure. Its only purpose is to
be cute. Nobody expects it to provide anything but smiles and hugs.
However, the
little guy in the image above seems to have a tough side. He is wearing jeans,
a t-shirt, and sunglasses. Also, he has a tattoo. His arms are crossed in a
belligerent manner as if to say, “I’ve got it going on!” There’s more to this
cuddly character than meets the eye. I don’t think that I’d want to mess with
him.
At first
glance, some of the rest of us may appear to be underachievers. People may
assume that we’re not worthy of respect in certain areas. They may look at our
outward appearance, or our background, and mistakenly assume that they can
impose their will on us. We’re stronger
than that!
A Famous Example of Strength
Teddy Roosevelt--was the 26th President of the United
States. He overcame many obstacles in his lifetime. He had to push through
medical trials and career challenges. According to the History Channel
miniseries, The Men Who Built America, Roosevelt wasn’t easily bullied:
Roosevelt was vice-president to William McKinley. As Vice-President, Roosevelt
slid right into the office of President after McKinley was assassinated.
The 25th
President had promised privileges to some of the mega industrialists. The
position of vice-president is not a position of power, and these men assumed
that Roosevelt would be content to continue to operate without supremacy as
President. John D. Rockefeller and others attempted to manipulate him into
acceeding to their unfair wishes, but Roosevelt refused. He intended to break
the stranglehold these men had on their industries.
It’s rumored
that the teddy bear was named after the 26th President of the United
States. I say, never judge a book by its cover, whether it’s a darling
children’s toy, or an upper-class gentleman.
What about the Rest of Us?
We might
seem “cute and cuddly”, or ineffectual, in certain ways. However we do not have
to be defined by our perceived limitations. Many people are successful in shattering
boundaries daily, as evidenced by the life of Teddy Roosevelt.
We are
unique, evolving creatures, and that’s the way it should be. We have a power
inside of us that cannot be denied by aggressors.
Do people
judge you by your “cover”?
