The wisdom of Fred Rogers

My generation grew up with Mr. Rogers and his gentle words of wisdom. Every day, after a long night up—my mom was a night owl and kept me with her—I’d snuggle on the couch behind her as she napped, or nestle in the carpet with my blanket, and visit with Mr. Rogers. It was like having a warm guest over that you always looked forward to visiting with. And you know he intended it to be that way, right, neighbor?

Fred Rogers has had so many ugly things said about him. While they have all proven to be false, they still linger as “urban legends,” which is very unfortunate. And his show is on so rarely now that I mourn for the children who will not experience his friendship.

Parents, too, can share in Fred’s words even after he has left us. He has a few books available, including the one that I just re-read is called Many Ways to Say I Love You. It’s filled with his heartfelt wisdom and clear, gentle advice on being a parent. Some of them are passages you want to bookmark and highlight for later use or to revisit again and again. You might even find yourself posting some of the passages as your Facebook status. These are definitely more poignant than a lot of statuses I’ve read.

Imagine having a non-judgmental parent beside you, guiding you along the way as you struggle with daily parenting decisions, mistakes you’ve made, and changes you’re attempting to make. It’s quite nice. I have to return the book today, but I’m planning on buying a copy to keep in the living room.

Photo courtesy of Sara S.