Pete the Cat is inspirational even for adults.
Sometimes the simple approach is the best way to succeed. Author Eric Litwin says it best in his book, Pete the Cat with His Four Groovy Buttons.
As Pete frolics along wearing his favorite shirt . . . one by one . . . he looses his colorful buttons.
Pete sings: “It simply goes to show that stuff will come and stuff will go. But do we cry?. . . “Goodness NO!” shout my grandkids as they read along . . . “We keep on singing.”
Beyond the guitar-strumming, song-singing words, there are three lessons for adults:
Lesson #1 - Perseverance
Pete may be losing his buttons one-by-one, but I encourage you to dig a bit deeper.
Pete offers an important message: When set-backs present themselves we need to march forward. By pushing past the road blocks we become stronger.
Pete's lighthearted song may teach kids to sing along, but the words to keep trying is a great message for adults, too.
Leaving my first career as a nurse to pursue my love of color and painting, it was perseverance that saw me through.
Lesson #2 - Resilience
As Pete's buttons pop off from 4 ... 3... 2... 1... he just keeps singing!
It may be a learning-to-count lesson for kids, but it is a lesson in buoyancy, and the ability to recover readily from adversity for adults!
My younger, greener self made some naive choices. It was resilience that carried me.
Lesson #3 - Gratitude
When Pete's last button pops off, he looks down at his button-less shirt. What does he do?
He keeps on singing.
Why?
Because he has his belly button!
Leave it to a kids' book to show us such grace!
And be thankful for our blessings.
Pete's lighthearted words thrilled me so much that at Kohls Charity Event I was buying an armful of colorful Petes. Two for my grandchildren and one for me!
I fancy all of Eric Litwin's books. He has a simple sing-song approach, always illustrated in bright and bold colors as he shares his message about conquering challenges, facing fears, and enjoying the endurance run called ... life! I hope he charms yours, too.
Learning 3 Lessons from an Artistic Colorful Cat:
Perseverance, Gratitude, Resilience
These 3 attitudes are dear to me, enduring each one personally.