Horse 214 - Lessons From Sesame St

For decades, Cookie Monster, Grover, Oscar, Big Bird and the rest of the gang at Sesame Street have been entertaining us while teaching us valuable lessons – lessons that go beyond the obvious, Maths, English, Science and teamwork. The lessons are not unique to the United States, nor do the characters take on special significance based on that culture. Sesame Street could be found in almost every community from New York to Newcastle, Harlem to Haberfield, The Bronx to The Valley.

There is always the village grouch whose job it is to quarrel with everyone and everything. There is the village simpleton, whose sole job is to make everyone around them look smart and then there are those who you are not quite sure of their purpose, but their presence does lend to some good times.

I have learnt to be passionate about whatever or whoever I love from non other than, Cookie Monster. Now one school of thought puts down his behaviour as nothing short of greediness, however I do not think the intention was to teach young persons to overeat, but rather to be voracious in whatever you do. When Cookie Monster sees cookies, it’s as if he goes into a trance, with unwavering focus on the task ahead of him. He attacks it and relishes it. So if you love, love with all you have. If you like to write, play music, play football, maths, sewing, art, computer technology, do it with gusto and unwavering passion. Don’t be daunted by the size of the task or the amount of work ahead, if that is what you love, dig in and enjoy every last crumb of it.

And what about The Count. He makes no qualms about it, when asked why he is called The Count, he simply states, “they call me the count because I love to count things - ha ha ha ha”. How many of us can boast with such confidence, the surety of our purpose, our reason for being here. The Count does not meddle in the affairs of letters, signs or symbols, his domain is numbers, and of that he is certain. I have learnt therefore that the joy that allows for one to end his sentence with ha ha ha ha, could only come from a having a deep, wonderful sense of purpose.

I have learnt about determination from Grover. No other character has held so many jobs (and been so incredibly bad at all of them). From Superhero to waiter, messenger to door-to-door salesman, it is as if Grover has done it all. He may not be good at any, however what a spirit he possesses! He keeps searching and searching until he is able to find that calling. If he will ever find it remains to be seen but he sure does try. He might annoy the hell out of everyone (I do feel sorry for that man with the blue head), but Grover is never daunted by any task put before him.

And finally I have learnt that if all else fails look cute and ask a lot of questions like Elmo. He is probably one of the most popular characters of all (to this day I don’t know why) and it is all due to his childlike appreciation of the world around him.