Fred Rogers, creator and host of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, changed the face of children’s television and transformed the way we think about the inner lives of young children. Here is some of his finest and most inspirational wisdom.
Mr. Rogers’ Wisdom That We All Need Today
Fred McFeely Rogers was an American television personality, musician, puppeteer, writer, producer, and Presbyterian minister. Rogers was best known as the creator of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood as well as the host of all 895 episodes, the composer of its more than 200 songs, and the puppeteer who imagined 14 characters into being. More importantly, he changed the face of children’s television and transformed the way we think about the inner lives of young children.
“Anything that’s human is mentionable, and anything that is mentionable can be more manageable. When we can talk about our feelings, they become less overwhelming, less upsetting, and less scary. The people we trust with that important talk can help us know that we are not alone.” Source: MisterRogers.org
The wisdom of Mr. Rogers
1. “All of us, at some time or other, need help. Whether we’re giving or receiving help, each one of us has something valuable to bring to this world. That’s one of the things that connects us as neighbors–in our own way, each one of us is a giver and a receiver.”
Mr. Rogers words of wisdom
6. “It’s not the honors and the prizes and the fancy outsides of life that ultimately nourish our souls. It’s the knowing that we can be trusted, that we never have to fear the truth, that the bedrock of our very being is firm.”
7. “It’s really easy to fall into the trap of believing that what we do is more important than what we are. Of course, it’s the opposite that’s true: What we are ultimately determines what we do!”
8. “Listening is where love begins: listening to ourselves and then to our neighbors.”
9. “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.”
Mr. Rogers was all about caring for each other
11. “Mutual caring relationships require kindness and patience, tolerance, optimism, joy in the other’s achievements, confidence in oneself, and the ability to give without undue thought of gain.”
12. “Often out of periods of losing come the greatest strivings toward a new winning streak.”
13. “Often when you think you’re at the end of something, you’re at the beginning of something else.”
14. “Real strength has to do with helping others.”
“The greatest gift you ever give is your honest self.” — Mr. Rogers
16. “The greatest gift you ever give is your honest self.”
17. “The media shows the tiniest percentage of what people do. There are millions and millions of people doing wonderful things all over the world, and they’re generally not the ones being touted in the news.”
18. “The only thing evil can’t stand is forgiveness.”
19. “The thing I remember best about successful people I’ve met all through the years is their obvious delight in what they’re doing and it seems to have very little to do with worldly success. They just love what they’re doing, and they love it in front of others.”
“You can’t really love someone else unless you really love yourself first.
21. “We all have different gifts, so we all have different ways of saying to the world who we are.”
22. “We get so wrapped up in numbers in our society. The most important thing is that we are able to be one-to-one, you and I with each other at the moment. If we can be present to the moment with the person that we happen to be with, that’s what’s important.”
23. “Who you are inside is what helps you make and do everything in life.”
24. “You can think about things and make believe. All you have to do is think and they’ll grow.”
This article was first published on BrightVibes on 2 December 2019.
How to be Caring (With Pictures)
Being caring allows you to have empathy for others and to live a life based on affection, love, and compassion for the people around you. It can be tempting to fall into a life of selfishness and to focus only on your own goals and desires, but your days will be far more rewarding if you think about what the people in your life are thinking and feeling. Being caring means providing a listening ear, noticing when someone needs help, and helping your community without asking for a reward. If you want to know how to be more caring today, start here...