Mister Rodgers took his natural innate skills and made them an art. He made a generational difference, positively touching people, even society overall.
Now, in our political and health chaos, we benefit from remembering what Rodgers taught us. There is always something proper and constructive that can be done with our feelings. Hence, we are much healthier and productive if we are not controlled by anger or fear.
You can absolutely benefit from Mister Rodgers if you chose to. You might not do it on the scale or with the polish he did, but you can at least benefit yourself and those dear to you. If you work at it, as he relentlessly did, it’s powerful.
Mister Rodgers uses communications; simply, powerfully, and consistently. He makes the point that anything you can talk about can be managed. He demonstrates this in context of forgiving loved and dealing with death.
Advocacy for Mister Rodgers
I call Mister Rodgers a favorite better angel, not from having watched him as a child or with my children. Rather, I watched a recent movie about him which made me want to learn more. This rememberance gave me relief and a clear path to do more, both personally and at large. I am on track to fix at least one of my own relationships, and I see how his practices directly tie to society and justice. Since he makes us all know we are special, so is he.
Tom Hanks played Mister Rodgers in a 2019 movie that told the real story of a relationship between Rodgers and journalist Tom Junod. who was assigned to write an article. Junod didn’t want the assignment, but then Rodgers changed his life and that of his entire family.
Fred Rodgers uses and teaches helping skills that are scalable and universally applicable. Caring people can develop and use the skills, which can be applied in a range of contexts, for individuals or groups.
Thank you – Mister Rodgers
Fred McFeely Rogers (3/20/1928 – 2/27/2003). He used TV, music, puppets, writer, and the ministry as mediums to deploy his humanistic skills. He created and hosted the preschool television series Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, that aired from 1968 to 2001.
Everything he did is consistent with peace, justice, and the future. While Trump might ask, “where’s my Roy Cohn”, I ask, who’s our new Mister Rodgers?