London says

Growing up, Paddington was one of my favorite bears. Just like me, he traveled all over. Just like me, he knew that where you were wasn't as important as who you were with. Just like me, he was different than others he knew. But those differences didn't matter. To me that was a big safety net.

Today, Paddington Bear turns 50 years old. To celebrate, he took a London tour in a black cab. If you had told me when I was a kid that he was that close to my age, I never would have believed you. I thought the books had been around forever. I thought everyone had read them and loved them.

Paddington has changed with the times. He went through the usual growing pains of over merchandising. He starred in several books, movies, and cartoons. Now, he has his own website. I don't think he has his own blog, but I wouldn't be surprised if he gets one eventually.

Lest you think this is just the sentimental ramblings of an allvoices member, there is a point to this piece. According to the site dedicated to his birthday celebration, there have been events all year. They have even been running a photo contest today for photos of Paddington on his tour.

What a great way to bring a child-safe tradition into the modern, connected world. Take a bear who originally came from Darkest Peru, move him to London, and tell the tales of how he adjusts... Great premise for a series of books. Now, take that same bear and use him to get kids interested in cooking (marmalade, anyone?), emailing and letter writing, and logic games. What do you get? A bear with a plan for helping kids adjust for the next 50 years as well.