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Be the Person Mr. Rogers Believed You Could Be

How I Learned to Be a Decent Human Being

By James HowellPublished 6 years ago 2 min read
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Mr. Rogers was a staple of my childhood, along with the likes of Bob Ross and Sesame Street. He was always calm, comforting, and loving of everyone who watched his show. We were all his neighbors. I still watch his show whenever I catch it. He taught us to love ourselves, as well as each other.

He had originally entered the seminary, however he didn’t like the way children’s television was going, so he decided to do his own show. He did some shows on CDC, and eventually came to public broadcasting in order to do his show his own way. It is said that a blind girl once wrote him, worried about him feeding his fish. That’s when he began to say, “It’s time to feed the fish.” His cardigans were all supposedly made by his mother.

He often talked about tough subjects for children, such as when a pet dies. He would show them amazing things such as bulldozers, and how crayons were made. He actually was part of a show where he would give parents advice on tough questions that their children may ask. He wasn’t just a part of public broadcasting, he himself was a public service. We should all strive to be the same.

One of my favorite quotes by him was that when he was a child and something bad happened, his mother would reply, “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.” Obviously it is easy to get upset and uncomfortable, or even afraid in this day and age. However, I remember this quote, and realize that there are people helping, and I can be one of those people. So can you. We all can.

We can all be neighbors, we can spread love and tolerance. It’s a big planet, and there are plenty of us to do good in our world, if we only put forth the effort. We all have to be the helpers. If we are all the helpers, how much bad can really go on in the world? We have to keep some of our childhood wonder and bliss, no matter what our profession.

We should let go of any preconceived notions and start looking around our own neighborhoods. What can we do to change it, what can we do to make it better? Whether it’s a soup kitchen, a homeless drive, a mentor, or just lending an ear is a good place to start. What do you want to see change in your own neighborhood? Why not take the initiative to get the ball rolling on a project to fix it? You don’t have to be rich to do something small; you can just offer your words and time.

Sometimes these small gestures can change the world, even if it’s only one person’s world. Talk to people around you, express your feelings together. Be proactive. Make your voices heard, and make changes to your community. As I said, it doesn’t have to be on a massive scale, start little and work your way up. A can of food feeds an empty belly, a coat keeps someone warm on a cold night.

My goal in life is to be someone he could be proud of. He once said that the alphabet is a great thing, but it matters more what you do with the alphabet. Words like “friend” and "love” are great parts of the alphabet. I try to be courteous in order to honor the man that I consider a perfect human being, and I would ask that you do the same.

“We live in a world in which we need to share responsibility. It's easy to say, “it’s not my child, it’s not my community, not my world, not my problem.” Then there are those who see the need and respond. I consider those people heroes.” —Fred Rogers
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About the Creator

James Howell

Father, activist, man in black... He/Him

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