One of my favorite things.

Any list of my favorite things would have to have Peanuts near the top. Not the peanuts  sold by the gent in the top hat with the monocle. I'm speaking of "Peanuts" featuring Charlie Brown, Lucy, Linus, Snoopy and all the rest.

Of course, they are the product of the creative mind of the late Charles M. Shultz. What a creative force Mr. Shultz was. He turned his "Little" comic strip into a world wide sensation. When the Charlie Brown Christmas special aired in 1965 it was the first time a prime time animated special had been aired about the Peanuts "gang". It has aired every year since.

Snoopy, Charlie Brown's beagle is without a doubt, the most recognizable dog in the world. In one form or another, Snoopy has been all over the world and beyond. Snoopy has even been to the moon. Apollo 10's call signs utilized the names "Snoopy and Charlie Brown".

Snoopy has a long history of service to the Nation's Space program. After the fire that destroyed Apollo 1, NASA got permission to use Snoopy as a sort of safety mascot within the agency.

The drawing on the left is the original sent to NASA by Charles M. Shultz when he was originally approached for permission to use Snoopy by the space agency. The silver pin on the right is the silver safety award which is still used by NASA.

But, beyond Snoopy and his fame are the rest of the characters in the Peanuts world. They all have purpose and they all accomplish something wonderful. They work together in all sorts of situations and in the end they succeed. They don't always succeed in the way that they may like or that we may anticipate but, they do succeed. They exhibit all the character traits that many in the real adult world fall short with.

One of the most important character traits that we learn from reading Peanuts is loyalty. Everyone in the Peanuts world is loyal to everyone else. Sure, there are different personalities, just like in real life but, they would never abandon any of their friends for the sake of ego. There is something to be said about that.

Loyalty is difficult enough to find in today's world. It's nice that we can find it by reading Peanuts.

The simple wisdom of Charles M. Shultz has certainly outlived the 13 years since his passing. I'm sure that it will continue to be enjoyed by young and old alike for many years to come. Just look up Snoopy on Facebook. He does have his own page. Of course, he shares it with his friends.

As Always...