Mr. Rogers Quotes The World Needs Now
Fans of Mr. Rogers, both young and old, have ventured into theaters to see “Won’t You Be My Neighbor?” This documentary is all about Fred Rogers’ popular public television show, spanning from its beginnings to Rogers’ death. It talks about the ups and downs of his career, but it also talks about how he inspired kids and talked to them about relevant issues in each episode. He made a significant impact on the world, and these quotes are what we all need right now if we are being honest.
1. “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.’”
If you turn on the news at any given moment, you are likely to be overwhelmed by the negativity going on in the world. It is easy to be terrified and feel helpless, like there is nothing you can do to make a difference. However, in any situation, there are people striving to help. Looking for these people gives you a sense that you, too can make a difference and that you can reach out to them to help in their efforts.
2. “To love someone is to strive to accept that person exactly the way he or she is, right here and now.”
So many times, we say we love a person, but we try to change them or see what they are destined to be in the future. In the here and now, they seem unattractive, but you know they will change or that they can be a better person. However, true love is unconditional, even in the here and now, where they may be less than perfect or not as great as what we think they could be.
3. “In times of stress, the best thing we can do for each other is to listen with our ears and our hearts and to be assured that our questions are just as important as our answers.”
When we talk to people who are stressed, we are often tempted to give them answers to the problems that are causing their stress so we can move onto more uplifting conversations. However, with the rise in mental health issues, it is important that we provide a safe haven for our friends and loved ones to feel like they can feel how they feel. Letting our loved ones vent in times of need is a great gift.
4. “The greatest gift you ever give is your honest self.”
This could not be more relevant than it is today, especially with the rise of social media. Social media platforms encourage us to constantly put our best selves at the public forefront. However, this causes high levels of low self-esteem and anxiety because we constantly compare our difficult situations to the perfect scenarios we see play out on our friends’ profiles.