Bernie the Monkey says "Never give up hope of re-uniting with those you love... and in the meantime - to avoid wasting all your trusty, rusty love energy - simply love those you are with."

Once upon a time, a long, long time ago. In a land far far far away. There lived a little monkey named Bernie the Monkey. Bernie the Monkey was walking through the forest one day when all of a sudden a (couple of) rose-coloured flower(s) poked out from the meadow garden and asked him to him in clear but shaky voice(s), "Hello Bernie the Monkey. Can you help? My problem is this: I cannot be with those I love at the moment or for the forseable future.... What do I do?" "Not to worry," replied Bernie the Monkey. "Never stop believing that one day you will be re-united with those you love. In the meantime, never lose hope. And remember: "If you cannot be with those you love today or tomorrow, love those you are with in the meantime... until you are re-united with those you love". The rose-coloured flower(s) brightened up at this optimistic suggestion. "I will keep the candle of eternal hope burning (and my daughters' welcome mat out on the front step) until those that I love can re-connect with me... whenever that is. I will NEVER give up hope. In the meantime, "until I can be with those I love, I will love those I am with." And if you ever feel alone or unloved, just open the palm of your hand (or your sister or nearest friend's hand) and trace a "Round the Bush... Round the Bush" in the middle of your or her palm with the index finger of your other hand. Then just "walk" that "Big Black Bear (in there) with two fingers until you get near their armpit. At that point, you must quickly tickle them under the armpit saying "Ticky, ticky in there". That simple act will surely bring you back to a simpler time, when loving one another was barrier-free and more simple. Even just thinking about Big Black Bear can often help you to re-connect someone you love, even if it has been a very long time since you last saw that person. Try it. It might just work, my dear rose-coloured flower(s). If you have a long first name, you may also try the old tr_st_, r_st_ pock_t-kni_e trick as well. Both can be very effective ways of connecting emotionally and in a psychic way with a long-lost friend"! If you have a short first name, try conjuring up your Uncle's "your slower than molasses in January" comment from when you were young. Or the time, you visited PEI with your long, lost friend. Or how you used to have picnic in the "Bosque Majico", make pancakes together, ride bicycles together, take out stacks of kids books and read them in bed, say "Seniora F_rn_nde_" before heading out to the museum or library or park, or how you played hide and seek with the "Wolf" on the playstructure atop Grasshopper Hill" Conjuring up any of those mental images will allow you to reconnect with those you love when you cannot be with them. If that fails, just look out at the moon and know that they are looking at the same moon. Proof: Yesterday's Dec. 28 moon was a half moon. "Oh, Bernie the Monkey, how can I (we) ever thank you for this simple, positive, mindful suggestion?", enquired the rose-coloured flower. "That's ok," replied Bernie the Monkey with a twinkle in his eye, "That's my job"