Hi! I’m Charlie Bear
I was born into a big extended family in Norwalk, Ohio in the USA at a place called the Hen House, even though I am a bear, not a chicken. My age, you ask? Well, in Charlie Bear years, I'm AGELESS!
I am five feet tall and my dark brown fur (the color of milk chocolate) is from Wisconsin; my lovable insides from North Carolina and my five feet of tall pine "bones" are from the Midwest.
I was born to be an "Adventure Bear"!
I am a stand up bear, which means I can’t bend at the waist - or the knees. It's a physical challenge for sure, but as you will see, it doesn't stop me from discovering what is grrreat about America’s people and places.
When I was old enough to leave the Hen House, I moved to Chicago, Illinois and lived in the display window of an outdoor adventure store. I got to look out my window every day. I saw lots of humans going by. I waved to them and many times they waved to me too.
But I was always waving "goodbye". I thought it would be nice to wave “hello” instead. I dreamed of going with the humans, seeing the grrreat outdoors and sharing adventures with them.
- I wanted to feel the breeze on my fur, and the rain drops on my nose.
- I wanted to explore farmlands, towns and cities.
- I wanted to sniff the flowers.
- I wanted to climb up mountains and roll in the grasslands.
- I wanted to boat down rivers and feel the ocean's surf splash my face.
- I wanted to encourage all the humans to do this too!
- And, most of all, I am a kind and gentle bear and I hope the humans like that about me.
I wanted to be an
ADVENTURE BEAR!
and share the joy with all of you.
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A GRRREAT DAY FOR A BEAR IN CHICAGO
One day I was standing in my Chicago window as usual. A woman walking by stopped quickly and stared up at me for the longest time. Then she came into the store. I heard her tell the store clerks, "I love that bear in the window!” She said her name was Lynn.
Lynn is a professional photographer. She lives in our Nation's Capitol area and takes photographs of famous people and exciting events. She travels to Chicago and other far off places to do the same thing. “Grrreat!” I thought. "I'd love to go with her!"
I could feel a big connection growing here, for sure. Lynn said she loved bears ever since she was very small. She still has the first bear her grandfather gave her years ago. Her high school and college even had a Bear for a mascot. And, she even has a special licence plate on her van. Now, how cool is that!
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A NEW PAL - A NEW NAME - A NEW HOME
Lynn said she would like to have me come and live with her. I was soooo happy! She made arrangements with the store clerks. They were happy for me too.
And, right there in that store, she gave me a name - "CHARLIE BEAR". I loved having a name all my own. Having a new home and a name was double super! "This is grrreat!” Maybe my dreams will come true and I will get to have adventures with Lynn. I could make friends with the humans across America. There would be joy and giggles and fun! I could help humans - young and old - share warm fuzzy laughs from deep within their hearts. I could help THEM discover what they feel is grrreat about America!"
When Lynn finished her photo work in Chicago, she flew home. I rode out a day earlier in a big brown UPS truck . I headed east from Chicago to my new home just outside Washington, DC, our Nation’s Capitol. The ride took a few days and it sure was DARK inside that big truck. I slept a lot on that trip. Luckily, bears like to sleep!
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HOME, AT LAST!
I sure was glad to see Lynn when I arrived safe and sound at her door! Lynn welcomed me in and I got settled in my new window. I got to watch the people and the cars going by on the quiet tree-lined street. Humans walked down the sidewalk past me. We waved to each other.
I'll tell you, my new window was a grrreat place to live, but I still longed for adventures.
What could I see?
Who would I meet?
What could I share with others?
No doubt about it; the more I thought about it, the more I knew in my heart this was my life purpose in the human world. I'm here to lift your spirits and cause you to laugh from deep within. I'm here to show you that being kind and gentle to others gives you and the others the best feeling ever.
I'm here to write my Grrreat Adventure Journals and, through them, let you feel the joy and the laughter along with me.
I'm here to show you how to create your own fun adventures with the kids you love and your family and your friends. You can build positive memories that last a lifetime and share what's you feel is grrreat about America's people and places. Wow! I could just imagine it all - while standing there in my window. How sweet it all will be.
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SOON MY DREAMS CAME TRUE!
On my first BIG adventure in our BEAR VAN, I rode with Lynn. We headed for California and 
back - over 8,000 miles across the grrreat United States, with fun stops along the way.
I learned neat stuff from the places I saw and the grrreat humans I met.
I learned about roads and mountains and towns and cities and how things work.
I learned about stuff that happened a long time ago - and stuff that happens right now.
AND . . .
Best of all, I learned simple important lessons about life.
I learned:
- when I am kind and gentle to other humans, they are kind and gentle to me.
- that if I get lazy or tired and don't want to finish the adventure I started, I will always wonder "how will I know what I could have missed, unless I do it?"
- when I share a fun adventure with a new or old friend, it becomes OUR adventure and we have that memory FOREVER.
And, when I lift the spirits of others, or they lift mine, it makes u
s all feel really warm and fuzzy inside. When you really think about it, that's the best feeling in the world to have. I call that a "Charlie Bear Moment".
New friends wrote in my Adventure Journal and we took photos together.
They became Charter Members of
Charlie Bear's Grrreat Adventure® Club.
You can be a Member, too.
We shared fun and a connection with each other; and for this bear, it created memories that will fill my heart forever. My published Journals tell the stories. You must read them all.
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BUT FIRST . . .
. . . LYNN LEFT WITHOUT ME!
I never shared my dreams with anyone.
I kind of thought other bears who saw me might think a bear who wants to ride in a van was a silly bear.
Lynn and her friends, David, Susan and Joe, went to dinner the night before she left. They joked with her about taking me along. In spite of the jokes, she thought about it seriously.
It almost happened! She tried to fit me in the van with all the other things stuffed in there. You see, I’m a stand-up bear. I can’t bend at the waist – or the knees.
It was difficult. Lynn couldn’t find a way to make me fit; and SHE LEFT WITHOUT ME, leaving me to stare out my window for three lonely weeks, and dreaming of what could have been.
I was VERY VERY sad!
But I didn't give up!
I decided right there on a long shot plan!
After all, it was I who never told her about my dream. Because I didn't tell her, how could she know I wanted to ride with her and explore this grrreat country more than anything else?
I started doing just that - telling her - as I stood right there in my window!
I thought and thought about all the adventures I wanted to share with new friends.
I thought about how I had been afraid to express my dreams for fear I would look silly.
I learned, in those very moments, that fear can get in the way of what we want and can make us miss out on grrreat things.
I thought 'til my head hurt and my heart almost burst!
About three or more hours passed by.
Lynn was well on her way on the Pennsylvania Turnpike headed west toward Chicago, my town.
THEN, MY MIRACLE HAPPENED!
Lynn tells it in her own words:
"I was driving along and suddenly, out of the blue, I was overcome by loud thoughts of leaving Charlie Bear behind. For over half an hour while driving west on the turnpike, I fought the message to return and get him.
My head was saying, 'There's no room for him. What am I going to do with Charlie Bear on an 8,000 mile trip? He just won't fit.' My heart was saying 'maybe taking Charlie Bear on this trip is meant to be, in some way that I don't understand right now.'
The thoughts got stronger and stronger and wouldn't go away. It was truly compelling. Three hours out - and another two hours behind a self-imposed schedule, I could resist it no longer and made my decision. I turned around on the Turnpike and returned home.
It was a message like no other I have ever received. Little did I know at that time, it came directly through Charlie Bear. The rest is history! And, the lesson I learned? Trust your feelings. Act on them and Believe, always!"
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AN AMAZING RETURN
More than six hours passed since Lynn left. I was just about to give up all hope.
All of a sudden, I spotted the BEAR VAN coming around the corner. I jumped so high, I just about bumped my head on the ceiling! And, the sweetest words rolled off her tongue:
“Hi Charlie Bear!”, she said. “I’ve come back to take you with me!” My tears turned to joy!
Lynn removed a big seat from the back of the van and made room for me to lie down comfortably. After all, it’s a long way to California. She gave me a California T-shirt, to prove I really was on my way. YES! I was going to live my purpose after all, and start out on the "Adventure of My Life" - and what an adventure it continues to be!
I learned another lesson that day: Believe, hope and never ever give up on your dreams.
Because, I learned, for sure - if we can dream it, we can do it!
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"AMERICA'S OFFICIAL ADVENTURE BEAR"®
It's been a while since that first trip, and I've had lots more adventures, too. Over the years Lynn saw how serious I was about DISCOVERING what is grrreat about America's people and places. She noticed how I am genuinely KIND and GENTLE to others I meet along the way; and she also saw how anxious I am to SHARE MY STORY with the goal of encouraging you to tell us what you discovered about the grrreat people and places in America. You can do this by looking in your own neighborhood or across your state or across the country.
Lynn surprised me recently with a BIG GIFT - a title that is registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office just for me. I am "AMERICA'S OFFICIAL ADVENTURE BEAR®".
WOW! That's pretty amazing when you think not too long ago, I was afraid to share my dreams with anyone. That title is a BIG honor and a BIG responsibility. And, I promise, I'll live up to it, with your help. Together, we can spread the word about how grrreat America's people and places really are. We can be kind and gentle to others along the way and we can build positive memories with each other that last a lifetime. What's better in life than that?
Join Charlie Bear's Grrreat Adventure® Club.
Become an "Adventure Pal" to your "Cub Reporter"
DISCOVER what's grrreat about America's people and places
BE KIND and GENTLE along the way - and
SHARE YOUR STORY™ with family, friends and Charlie Bear.
IT'S THAT SIMPLE!
Write soon. I can't wait to hear from you!
Happy Trails!
Your Friend,
Charlie Bear
"America's Official Adventure Bear"
