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Mister Rogers told kids why they shouldn't be mean to themselves. It's bringing adults to tears.

Grown-ups need this advice just as much as children do.

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Fred Rogers is sorely missed.

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.

Fred Rogers, Mister Rogers, Mister Rogers Neighborhood, kidsUnderstand 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. 🫶"

Mister Rogers, Fred Rogers testifying 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.


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Hallmark asked Fred Rogers to create a holiday display. His design was peak Mr. Rogers

dreambird/Flickr (left) Matt Hoffman/Unsplash (right)

The world can't seem to get enough of Mister Rogers, and for good reason. In an era of salacious reality television, online trolls, and non-stop political scandals, Fred Rogers remains a pure beam of light and goodness, even 16 years after his passing.

The movie "A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood" opened to rave reviews Thanksgiving week, and has spawned a slew of stories and articles about the beloved children's television star. But one little-known Fred Rogers story in particular seems perfectly fitting for this holiday season.

RELATED: The first trailer showing Tom Hanks as Mr. Rogers is here, and the world can't handle this much goodness

A recent article in the Washington Post tells a story of Rogers being asked to help decorate Hallmark's flagship store in Manhattan during the holidays. In his book, "The Good Neighbor," biographer Maxwell King describes Rogers visiting the store and seeing other famous people's ornate, over-the-top displays. But that was hardly Mister Rogers' M.O. After seeing what others had created, Rogers returned home and designed a display perfectly befitting his person and purpose.

Imagine a clear glass Lucite cube encapsulating a single Norfolk Island pine tree, approximately the height of a child. No decorations. No ornaments or tinsel. Just the simple, bare tree, roots and all. And at the bottom, a plaque that reads, "I like you just the way you are." That was his design.

Oh, Mister Rogers. I know you weren't perfect, but you were pretty darn close.

Fred Rogers didn't just love children; he understood them on a level deeper than most. Millions of us spent a good portion of our childhoods watching him methodically change his sweater and shoes, feed his fish, and take us on the trolley to the Land of Make Believe. We listened to him talk about feelings, about how each one of us is special in our own way. We learned about neighbors and community, about hospitality and support. His show wasn't about teaching kids letters and numbers, but about teaching us how to be whole, compassionate humans.

RELATED: There's a wonderful reason why Mister Rogers always said aloud he's feeding his fish.

He never wavered in the message that every child is capable of loving and being loved. He never wavered in his belief that expressing our feelings was healthy and that children need a safe place to do just that. He never wavered in his humanity or his passionate defense of quality programming for children.

And his conviction that every child was special and worthy of being loved just the way they are was summed up in that simple Christmas tree display. You don't have to do anything extraordinary to be liked. You don't have to dress yourself up in fancy things to be lovable. You don't have to change yourself or be anything other than who you are to be worthy.

Mister Rogers expounded a simple truth that people spend thousands of dollars in therapy to discover, and his gentle way of conveying that message to children made him a hero to so many of us. And the world needs him now more than ever.

Let's keep sharing his legacy through these stories from his life, because every generation deserves the uplifting gift of Fred Rogers.

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The first trailer showing Tom Hanks as Mr. Rogers is here, and the world can't handle this much goodness

We need more Mister Rogers in our lives.

Sony Pictures Entertainment/YouTube


A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD - Official Trailer (HD)www.youtube.com

As a child, I spent countless hours with Mister Rogers. I sang along as he put on his cardigan and sneakers, watched him feed his fish, and followed his trolley into the Land of Make Believe. His show was a like a calm respite from the craziness of the world, a beautiful place where kindness always ruled. Even now, thinking about the gentle, genuine way he spoke to me as a child is enough to wash away the angst of my adult heart.

Fred Rogers was goodness personified. He dedicated his life not just to the education of children, but to their emotional well-being. His show didn't teach us letters and figures—he taught about love and feelings. He showed us what community looks like, what accepting and including different people looks like, and what kindness and compassion look like. He saw everyone he met as a new friend, and when he looked into the camera and said, "Hello, neighbor," he was sincerely speaking to every person watching.

Though I'd never met him, I cried the day he died. I loved Mister Rogers. Losing him felt like losing a childhood friend.

When I heard that Tom Hanks was going to play him in a biopic, I said, "Yes, of course. How perfect." A dream come true. Goodness upon goodness.

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And now the much-anticipated day has arrived. The first trailer for "A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood" is here, and it's everything I imagined it would be. Honestly, I'm not sure if the world can even handle this much goodness. I barely can.

The movie, set to be released at Thanksgiving, loosely follows the true story of a journalist who wrote a profile of Fred Rogers for Esquire in 1998 and whose entire life perspective was changed by the experience. I watched the trailer this morning, and within the first three seconds—just upon hearing Hanks say, "Hello, neighbor"—the tears started to flow. I couldn't help it. This right here—the story, the man, the gorgeous goodness of it all—it's just everything.

I know that might seem over the top, but I honestly don't care. Mister Rogers taught me to express my feelings, and doggone it, I have big feelings about this.

The more I've learned about Fred Rogers as an adult, the more I've come to realize what a precious gift he was to humanity. The TV personality wasn't an act—who Mister Rogers was on his show is who he was. Tom Junod's Esquire piece gives us a glimpse of Rogers' unique personality—his faith, his "fearlessness," and his "unashamed insistence on intimacy." The excellent documentary, "Won't You Be My Neighbor," also offers behind-the-scenes footage where we see that fearlessness and intimacy in action. No one could say a bad word about Fred Rogers, which is almost unheard of. How often do our heroes turn out to be exactly what they appear to be?

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Mister Rogers was a national treasure, and we need him more today than ever. When I see people trying to justify prejudice and racism and lacking compassion for people who are suffering, I think, "You need a little more Mister Rogers in your life." When I see people who deride emotional sensitivity as weakness and dismiss courtesy and consideration as "political correctness" I think, "You could use a little more Mister Rogers in your life." When I see cruel, childish name-calling coming from grown-ups in power, I think, "You clearly didn't get enough Mister Rogers in your life."

Tom Hanks as Fred Rogers is just the balm the world needs right now to remind us what goodness truly looks like.

Now pardon me while I go binge watch this trailer on repeat with my box of Kleenex.

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A familiar face helped us deal with a tragedy-filled world in 1981. He still does.

Whatever happened in the news today, this will help.

There have been a lot of tragic, hard-to-understand things in the news lately.

It can feel like the world is falling apart around us, with barely any time to make sense of it all.

When you're a parent, you know there's another dimension to these hard-to-stomach news events. Not only do you have to cope with them, you have to find a way to explain it all to your children.

Senseless mayhem has always been going on. For a generation of kids and parents, there was an amazing resource available to help them out, and all you had to do was click on the television and his calm, welcoming demeanor would appear.

Mister Rogers (aka Fred Rogers) in his time on the air was a great source of caring guidance on how to process such unsettling topics. In an episode that first aired in 1981, he laid out some amazing, still-relevant tips for kids and adults facing bad news.

1. He wanted to make sure children had a supportive adult to help them feel strong enough for these conversations.

When possible, it's always best for a child to have the stabilizing presence of a trusted caretaker for the big stuff in life. By inviting his young viewers to find one before jumping into this conversation, he's making sure the children have a resource if they have more questions about this stuff.

All GIFs from "Mister Rogers' Neighborhood."

“Please get a grown-up that you love to watch this program with you because we’re going to talk about some sad and scary things.”

2. He tried to help kids understand why people do such nasty things.

In the video below, you can notice how he avoids calling the people who do terrible things "bad" themselves. He discusses their behavior and their possible motivations. And he helps kids understand that there are other ways they can deal with their own feelings than to damage others.

"There are people in the world who are so sick or so angry that they sometimes hurt other people. And they’re usually the ones who end up in the news. Remember hearing about John Lennon being shot in New York, and President Reagan and his friends in Washington, and the Pope in Rome, and the young people being murdered in Atlanta and other places? Well the people who are doing these terrible things are making a lot of other people sad and angry. But when we get sad and angry, you and I, we know what to do with our feelings so we don’t have to hurt other people."

3. He checked in with some schoolkids to hear their thoughts and feelings, something that the kids at home could relate with.

During the segment, a girl told Rogers how she once reacted to news of a shooting. "When I heard about when that one man got shot in the head I ran upstairs to my bed and started praying for him, that he’d stay alive," she said.

Another girl mentioned that she thought some people are just trying to pay everybody back for the painful things in their lives.

4. Then he passes on his favorite advice that his mother gave him when he was a boy.

"When I was a boy and I would hear about something scary … I’d ask my parents or my grandparents about it, and they would usually tell me how they felt about it. In fact, my mother would try to find out who was helping the person who got hurt.

'Always look for the people who are helping,' she’d tell us. 'You’ll always find somebody who’s trying to help.'"

This quote has resurfaced in the past few years on social media, bringing great comfort to adults and young people when the news takes a turn for the worse.

If you have a few minutes, watching this can be comforting and nostalgic. You may even want to show it to the kids in your life!

So that's what we do in times like the ones we keep hearing about today, everyone. We look for the helpers. And if you can't find one, be one.

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