Lesson from Mr. Rogers Neighborhood

Many of you grew up with Mr. Rogers and his magical Neighborhood. I know that he was instrumental in advocating for children, and he inspired so many to see life in a different way. He was steadfast in his Christian principles, and I must believe his show became an iconic children’s program on TV because those principles were front and center teaching kids (and maybe adults) values to be lived out in a lifetime.

The journalist Tom Junod wanted to get to know the real Mr. Rogers. (The movie “You Are My Friend” with lead actor Tom Hanks is this story.) From a simple interview resulting in the article, Can You Say..."Hero"? being published in November 1998 in Esquire (Magazine), Mr. Junod and Mr. Rogers relationship grew deep.

“Mr. Junod thought he would find a separate Fred Rogers from the Mister Rogers on-camara persona. What he found was that there was no difference. Tom thought he'd get to know the man behind the show - that he'd separate Fred Rogers from the Mister Rogers on-camera persona. But he found there was no difference between the two. Mister Rogers was the same person when the cameras were rolling and when they weren't.”1

The sentence that struck me was the last sentence: “Mister Rogers was the same person when the cameras were rolling and when they weren't.” For someone who never grew up with this TV show and who has never seen an episode, this is so reassuring to me. I remember a time in my life where I could not be myself. Decorum ruled. Only speak when spoken to was the order of the day. Folks knew me. Folks knew my history. Folks knew my parents. Then upon moving to the United States in 1986, I remember distinctly the moment when the lightbulb lit! “No one knows me! No one knows my family! No one knows my history! I can be me! I can be me!” the voice in my head shouted out. “I don’t have to be who I am not. I can always be authentically me.” I learned that day that “I matter” and believe today that we all matter!

If Mr. Rogers was the same person on stage and off stage, I can be that person too. I can be my authentic self. All those years later to read that sentence last evening is so confirming and affirming today. It is almost as if the Anne of the Past just said “Hello” to the Anne of the present. Thank you, Mr. Rogers, for being you!

You matter! And your authentic self as God created you matters!

Citations:

[1] https://www.godupdates.com/inspirational-stories-of-faith-and-hope/#:~:text=Fred%20Rogers%20was%20not%20just%20a%20TV%20show%20host and

https://www.neighborhoodarchive.com/publications/press/esquire/index.html

Blessings,

Rev. Anne