fred rogers

When the world feels dark or difficult, there's one person who can always comfort our inner child and make us believe that things will turn out all right: Fred Rogers.

Generation X and millennials spent many of our formative years watching "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood," letting the soothing voice of the gentle host teach us to be better humans. There's nothing bad you can really say about Mr. Rogers, thought some did try to malign him for his focus on emotional intelligence and self-worth. (The horror!) By all accounts, the man was practically a modern-day saint—unfailingly kind, calm, and thoughtful—and the same man off screen as he was on screen. And the lessons he shared still resonate in the hearts of the now grown-up children he spoke to decades ago.

In fact, some lessons speak to us even more profoundly in adulthood than they may have when we were young. A brief clip from "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood" has been making the rounds, and hoo boy is it a message people of all ages can use.

"You know, the toughest thing is to love somebody who has done something mean to you," Mr. Rogers said to his audience. "Especially when that somebody has been yourself."

(Might want to have a tissue handy at this point.)

"Have you ever done anything mean to yourself?" he continued. "Well it's very important to look inside yourself and find that loving part of you. That's the part that you must take good care of and never be mean to. Because that's the part of you that allows you to love your neighbor. And your neighbor is anyone you happen to be with at any time of your life."

It's sounds so simple, doesn't it? And yet, so many of us struggle with being kind and loving to ourselves, and in turn, may not be as kind and loving to our neighbor as we want to be. The simplicity of Rogers' messaging is part of what makes it so powerful, though. He cuts through the baggage and the hurt and the stories we tell ourselves and speaks directly to the pure heart deep inside each person.

Understand I Hear You GIFGiphy

The comments on the clip are a veritable lovefest for Mr. Rogers. One person even wrote that they can't be cynical when they watch him. How could you?

"Needed this. Easy to beat yourself up and then, without some way of finding an outlet, project to others about your feelings.Mr. Rogers is the GOAT."

"I think part of what made Mister Rogers so special is that he's often speaking to adults as much as he is children. Like he knew there's a good chance adults will be in the room or at least within earshot, and he's speaking to both audiences. I believe it was partly because he spoke to children as if they were adults, but I think at times it was quite deliberate."

"Could not need this more. My job is ending my life is entirely revolving about going east. I couldn't be lower at points. But I get Mr Rogers who just picks me up and says it's going to be okay. And I believe him."

"Mr. Rogers had a way of reminding us that kindness starts within. Sometimes, we just need to hear that it's okay to be human. Absolute GOAT. 🫶"

Fred Rogers advocating for public television programming in front of the Senate. Public domain

"What Mr. Rogers says here is so profound and true. If you are able to give yourself grace, compassion, and self-forgiveness, you are able to pass that on to other people. People who hate 'others' usually hate themselves, only they don't know it."

"I'm not a religious man but if there ever was an angel on earth, he is as close as you can get to being one."

"I cannot convey how much I needed this at this point in my life. I wasn't expecting to bawl my eyes out today but I think I needed it."

"He is so genuine when he talks to the children/us through the camera. You can tell that he means every single word that he’s saying. It’s not made up and it’s not just scripted and something that he’s reading off of a cue card. He just wants what’s best for everybody on the other side of the lens."

"That man is who I've always wanted to be my entire life, I even sport similar sweaters. But he showed me that I didn't need to be anyone but myself, and that's okay."

- YouTubewww.youtube.com

Mister Rogers said goodbye in a final send-off in 2001 with a perfect parting message: "I would like to tell you what I would often tell you when you were much younger. I like you just the way you are. And what's more, I'm so grateful to you for helping the children in your life to know that you'll do everything you can to keep them safe and to help them express their feelings in ways that will bring healing in many different neighborhoods. It's such a good feeling to know that we're lifelong friends."

It's such a good feeling, indeed.