I used to think we all could use a
neighbor like Mr. Rogers these days.
I
thought we all needed his gentle soul, his big heart, and his simple message of
kindness.
Whenever
I read the News, or merely look at Twitter for a few seconds, it feels like the
world is becoming more cruel, especially America. Whenever I hear something in
the news that outrages me, upsets me, or even makes me feel hopeless, I would keep
thinking of Mr. Rogers, and what he would say or do.
I
just kept thinking, “We need Mr. Rogers”.
That’s
what I thought before seeing Won’t You Be
My Neighbor, the new documentary directed by Morgan Neville about the life
and career of Mr. Rogers, and the behind the scenes stories and cultural impact
of his show Mr. Rogers Neighborhood. On
the surface, the film seems like a typical fluff piece about a famous person.
But it is more than that. It is the story of a man who wanted nothing more than
to help children and make the world a better place.
Fred
Rogers received a Master of Divinity at Pittsburgh Theological Seminary in 1963.
He originally wanted to pursue a career as a pastor. This changed when he first
discovered an invention called Television, a device that was in millions of
households across the nation. Fred Rogers believed television
could potentially have a huge impact on the culture, particularly in voung
people. He believed it was such a waste for the majority of TV shows be just
people throwing pies at each other. Mr. Rogers took it upon himself to create,
write, star in, and even compose music for his own television show that would
educate children. And thus, Mr. Rogers
Neighborhood was born.
On
the surface, the show seemed like your typical preschool children’s show. It
seemed like it was just some guy in front of a camera singing silly songs and
playing with puppets. But the show was deeper than that. Much deeper. The show taught
children about heavy issues relating to divorce, sickness, death, and even
national tragedies. The show taught children how to cope with difficult moments.
It also taught them that they are special, they are important, and deserving of
love.
Before
seeing the documentary, I thought we all needed Mr. Rogers. I don’t think that
anymore.
I realize now we don’t need Mr.
Rogers. Because WE can all be like him if we choose.
Won’t
You Be My Neighbor made me realize we all have the potential to make a
difference in peoples’ lives. We can all show kindness. And we are all fine
just the way we are.
We don’t have to rely on someone to
make the world a better place. Mr. Rogers certainly did. He took it upon
himself to make it happen. As can we.
Won’t
You Be My Neighbor, just like Mr. Rogers himself, shows us all how important it is to be a
good neighbor.
