The Cartoons
As a kid growing up in the 80s, I L-O-V-E-D cartoons and spent every Saturday morning glued to the television set. I didn’t see sunlight
until after lunch and it didn't matter if my friends and classmates thought I was uncool for watching them because I liked the way they
made me feel on the inside—happy and content.
I had many cartoon favorites in the 80s and these three were no exceptions:
Garfield
Garfield was such a hit when I was a kid that even my mom adored this chubby, self-absorbed lasagna eating cat! For awhile there, we
even had a mini-shrine just for Garfield (mom's not mine), complete with drawings by yours truly!
Mom’s been gone for just over two years now and I miss her like crazy but watching Garfield’s Fun Fest is like curling up on the couch
next to mom and being a kid all over again.
In this episode, Garfield's got a rival who wants nothing more than to de-throne Garfield and take over as top cat in the funniest comic
strip ever. Garfield, however, has a few tricks up his sleeve which include getting back to the roots of what true comedy is all about.
In the end, Garfield discovers that the best talent happens by being one's self, not by conforming. It’s a lesson we can all use
refresher course on from time to time, don’t you think?
Order Garfield's Fun Fest Today!
Care Bears
For me, the Care Bears were an amazing group of cartoon characters because they did what people in my family didn't do—share their
feelings. I learned a lot from these little bears and would recommend them to anyone with small children.
In this series, Care Bears Care-A-Lot collection, children learn how to be helpers, how practice makes perfect, what it’s like to make
new friends, how to overcome personal challenges, and more.
Amongst the cast are: Funshine, Grumpy, Share, Cheer, Oopsie.
Funshine bear taught me how to turn ordinary situations into fun times—even if I had to do it alone. Funshine bear was all about
finding contentment in life regardless of one’s circumstances.
Grumpy bear showed me what I looked like when I let my emotions get the better of me. Grumpy bear also reminded me that underneath those
rough and tough exteriors lied hearts of gold—we just had to look for them and break through the hurts and pains that caused the
hardening of those hearts.
Share bear was probably my favorite bear because she's a lot like me—she's very giving and for all the right reasons. Share bear was
all about reaching out to those in need and showing genuine concern for their well-being and happiness. There weren’t any ulterior
motives, it was love in its purest form.
Cheer bear was always a breath of fresh air because she knew how to turn gray skies into blue ones. Cheer bear was like having your own
personal cheer squad at your beckon call. When times got tough she was there to remind you that taking just one more step in the right
direction could prove very rewarding.
Oopsy bear was a fantastic role model because he reminded me that not everything turns out the way we want it to. Oopsy always seemed to
have good intentions, but he was also very clumsy and good at messing things up. He taught me that as long as we did our best, that’s
all we could do.
Order Care Bears: Care-A-Lot Today!
Strawberry Shortcake.
Being a bit of a perfectionist growing up, I needed a character like Strawberry Shortcake. Heck, I even had her dolls and figurines—and
yes, each one actually smelled like their names! She helped keep me grounded by reminding me that as long as you do your "berry best"
everything will work itself out in the end. She had a very optimistic outlook on life which encouraged daydreaming.
In Strawberry Shortcake: Rockaberry Roll, Strawberry Shortcake and her friends get a dose of reality when they let their pride
get the best of them. The girls form a band for the local talent show, but they all want to do it “their own way” which ruins their
chances of entering the talent show—that is, until they learn what it really means to work as a team and practice, practice, practice.
Order Strawberry Shortcake: Rockaberry Roll Today!
About The Author:
Alyice Edrich is a freelance writer, mixed media artist, and aspiring photographer. She enjoys creating things that bring joy
to others. Visit our her blog, Coming Home, to check out her latest art. Or
stop by her resume site, AlyiceEdrich.net to learn how you can hire her for your
next project.
* This article is available for your publication, for a F-E-E.
This article may NOT be reprinted without monetary compensation and written permission from the author.
For reprint rights or comments/questions about this article, please contact the author.
|
