Happy Birthday, Mister Rogers

Are you wearing your sweater today?

I am...though I usually wear a sweater. Mark that as one of the many reasons Mister Rogers and I are so compatible.

I LOVE Mister Rogers, but I had to watch his show on the sly at my house because my older brother and sister HATED Mister Rogers.

Mister Rogers succeeded at creating a space that was safe and full of love for children. It was the kind of place where all children could feel important and confront the issues, though mundane, small children face on a daily basis: bullying, feeling inadequate, craving praise and struggling to be nice to those around you.

They will tell you that they didn't like him because they thought he was gay. Homophobic tendencies aside, I believe that what I loved about Mister Rogers they hated. Perhaps it was their age (seven and eight years older than me, I was five when I was first watching). I can't help thinking that at the time they just didn't believe that people could be genuinely nice. Maybe they just didn't find nice entertaining.

What I do know is that I would still rather watch an episode of Mister Rogers' Neighborhood and watch young minds work out the world than even a piece of an American Idol episode where people who try are belittled.

Guess which kind of show my older sister is still addicted to?

In case you never got the chance to know Mister Rogers, here is a lovely article about him.

Happy Birthday, Mister Rogers. The world still needs you...



Mister Rogers, "you've made this day a special day by just your being you. There's no person in the whole world like you, and I like you just the way you are." [For the uninitiated, these are the words that he left us with every show. Imagine the way this kind of unconditinoal love could change the world.