Oct 15

Oct 15 Be a Helper

A child of the 1970s, I grew up watching Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood on my local PBS station, WQED. I preferred Mister Rogers to the other programs at the time—Sesame Street, Electric Company, Captain Kangaroo, 3-2-1-Contact, to name a few—because he was so calming with his demeanor, gentle songs, quiet conversations, and routines. I always looked forward to the flow of his show, from him taking off his coat and shoes, putting on a cardigan his mother had made him and his sneakers, to feeding his fish, his visits with Joe Negri, Mister McFeely, the Trolley, and puppets in the Land of Make Believe. His kind, methodical ways reminded me of my Pap whom I adored.

I had always thought it was Picture Picture that had the most profound impact on me. Watching how things were made, seeing all of the processes and materials and the care and attention to detail that it took fascinated my young artist brain. But as I grew older, I felt the weight of the realities and responsibilities of the world. It was then that I realized that it was Mister Rogers’ kindness and ability to see goodness in others that really left an impression on me. When my anxiety peaks, I often project myself back in time to watching Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood on my grandparent’s TV set, and it’s then that everything feels like it’s going to be alright.

After 9/11, we all found comfort in Mister Roger’s mother’s words, to “look for the helpers.” If you are like me, you also feel like the world could really use Mister Rogers right now. Since he is no longer with us, we have to try to be who he knew we could be. Kind. Brave. Good. Caring. Helpful. Generous. Empathetic.

The objects below are reminders for Mister Rogers’ enthusiasts of all ages of his life, his lessons, and his optimism in the goodness in each of us.