Tom and Jerry – these two names together never fail to make us smile! Tom and Jerry was more than a cartoon series in my childhood as I would imagine for the most of us as well. A thrilling ride with endless hide and seek of Tom and Jerry was a family entertainment show. This routine watch was the one I eagerly looked forward to everyday and it never failed to make us laugh.
Here are my top 7 picks from the Tom and Jerry series.
1. It is your attitude that matter; not your size
Jerry was small but it was the fearless attitude combined with the urge to fight Tom that made all the difference, over and over again. Jerry alone outwits Tom every single time and there’s a powerful lesson to capture: even the big and powerful can fall apart if you have wits and the right attitude.
2. We fight more with our loved ones most
Tom and Jerry fight in every single episode. Be the small fights where Tom chases Jerry for disturbing his sleep to big ones where Tom lands into big trouble like being thrown out of the house. But in the end, they got back together, like good friends do! So, turn a new chapter, forgive and forget – don’t take every fight at face value i.e. personally.
3. The power of teamwork
Tom always threatens Jerry but it never goes any further. We see fear tactics taking all different forms throughout the series. However, whenever their home is under threat, they stand united.
4. Know your boundaries
Between the dog and Jerry, Tom knows who to annoy and reap rewards from. Needless to say, we see that Tom changes his behavior with Jerry in the presence of higher power, depicted by the dog, and gets hurt when he is spotted taking advantage of Jerry. Hence, when interacting with people, respect their boundaries otherwise you may suffer the consequences.
5. Change your strategies if they fail
Tom failed to trap Jerry countless number of times and still never gave up. This inexhaustible pursuit never once dimmed even when Tom was in trouble and Jerry helped Tom out. As Thomas Edison said, reflecting on the countless failed attempts, “I came to know about 999 ways which won’t work.” Hence, it is okay to fail only if you learn from it. Don’t keep on repeating them in hope that it may work the next time. Therefore, learn from your failures.
6. Life’s ongoing challenges
Tom and Jerry are full of acting out their ploy for each other. Hence, both of them face the challenges thrown on their way and figure out a way to overcome it. Life constantly throws us challenges in all different shapes, sizes, and forms. We must take heed from Tom and Jerry and cannot be content with defeat一the game is on!
7. Compassion triumphs evil-doing
When snow came in and Jerry was out, Tom panicked and did everything possible to save Jerry’s life. Similarly, when Tom got drunk in the house, Jerry did everything possible to keep Tom from breaking plates to cause trouble to the house lady. At the end of the day, even an evil person has compassion in them. We just have to open our hearts to feel it.
Oh, by the way, cats love mice and I don’t mean that in a romantic way. If you have a pet mouse, your cat will try many crafty ways to get at it. Make sure you keep your cute little mouse locked up and safe from the cat.
Legendary animator Gene Deitch, who also directed several episodes of Tom and Jerry, died in Prague at the age of 95. RIP Mr. Deitch.
Thank you for making our childhood memorable.
