There’s been a lot of talk about Mr. Rogers this week, despite the fact that yesterday, February 27th, 2018, was the 15th anniversary of his death (and coincidentally, my son’s 14th birthday, I’ve always thought this interesting that I had a baby on the first anniversary of his death, since my son and I both loved him as a child, thank goodness for PBS re-runs!) In recent weeks a video of his testimony before the U.S. Senate in which he basically saved public television’s funding has one viral. The reason? It’s not only a super-inspiring video, it also happens to be the 50th anniversary of Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood debuting on public television, and PBS is celebrating in a big way: by showing a whole week of Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood episodes in tandem with the Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood episodes that they inspired.
Screen shot: PBS
{Insert emotional sigh}
This brings up SO much emotional nostalgia for me: Mr. Rogers was a big part of my childhood and my oldest son’s as well, and Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood has been a big part of my youngest son’s. The most important lessons these shows taught kids about their value as a person and about the validity of their emotions (and how to handle them!) will, I pray, be ingrained in my kids, and in so many millions of American kids for a lifetime.
There’s a reason Mr. Rogers was able to change so many little lives through TV; he had a light within him. As a Presbyterian minister, Fred Rogers knew Christ—and God’s love radiated from him. His show broke racial barriers, highlighted people with disabilities, and taught our kids that they are of value merely because they are alive. He truly was a friend and neighbor to us all.
In case you have forgotten or never knew what an amazing man Mr. Rogers was, here’s his 1997 Emmy Lifetime Achievement Award acceptance speech to remind you. Notice that he focuses not on himself…not even for a minute.
