While we know he’s been talked about at length, adored, revered and written about extensively we must dive into why Mr. Rodgers was so prophetic. Let’s dig a little deeper into the legacy and our 5 favorite quotes that give us deep wisdom and offer incredible insights to life.
Saying before congress, “Feelings are mentionable and manageable.” The prolificness of this at this time was so progressively wise and daring and unheard of.
By golly what man of that era spoke publicly and prolifically of his or the feelings of others? This was revolutionary. He paved the way for kindness, thoughtfulness and love in the world of others in a historically divided land.
For a man to be standing and speaking out about the power of expressing feelings and emotions to a predominantly male body of congress was unheard of in this day and age, but Mr. Rodgers made it cool to a be a feeling and caring being.
This is perhaps where the tide began to turn and men were allowed to be thoughtful and kind and soft and outwardly caring and that in and of itself was progress at its finest.
FIRST FAVORITE MR. RODGERS QUOTE
“Often when you’re at the end of something, you’re at the beginning of something else.”
Such is life, but this is a wonderful reminder and gives us that much needed perspective that the end is very often that magical space that is inching to a new uncharted territory that is far better than what we leave behind. The awareness with which Mr. Rodgers walked the earth and lead with light was constant and ever present.
SECOND FAVORITE MR. RODGERS QUOTE AND HOW WE CAN APPLY IT TO OUR LIFE
“Imagine what our real neighborhoods would be like if each of us offered, as a matter of course, just one kind world to another person.”
One kind word in our real neighborhoods as we know can be hard to find. With the internet, video games, covid adding an extra layer of distance between us locking eyes with a neighbor seems even hard pressed these days. Do just that, imagine, just imagine for a moment what it would be like to exhibit the grace to or feel the grace from a neighbor with something as simple as a kind word. How comforting a home and neighborhood to return to after a long hard day at work. How much softer the streets would feel around us with a simple expression of kindness.
WHY THIS THIRD FAVORITE MR. RODGERS QUOTE MEANS AND MATTERS
“When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers.’ “
While we see day in and day out with all of the horrors that have been playing out just right here in the states that the world can very much be a scary place. It is a kind affirmation to know that sometimes the worst things bring out the best in people. It’s unfortunate that we don’t always act from this space of caring and doing, but when things go down many times we see the good and people and we see how others step up to help, aide and comfort and there is a strong sense of peace with this knowing. Leave it to Mr. Rodgers to be the beacon of light who knows the world is innately for the most part good.
QUOTE NUMBER FOUR OF MR. RODGERS IS DEEP AND SO APPLICABLE TO EACH AND EVERYONE OF US
“To love someone is to strive to accept that person exactly the way he or she is, right her and now.”
This one is so powerful and so often overlooked in society. Judgements run high, competition runs deep, and pettiness is rampant. Loving people for who they are makes the world better. It gives us hope and fills us with the profundity of love that only true acceptance can offer. Mr. Rodgers as we know was not one to judge and he made it a point throughout his life to remind us that we were not better off for it.
THE 5TH AND FINAL MR. RODGERS QUOTE IS A BIGGIE
“Sometimes slow is better: in understanding, in learning to be patient, in going deeper spiritually.”
In this fast paced world we all lose sight of the balance of immeasurable power of slowing down and pacing ourselves. What’s the rush? Deeper understanding that Mr. Rodgers has and expressed as an avid hope for the world comes slowly, over time and only with great patience. Patience is something we far too often learn far too late. If we can just slow down and not expect instantaneous rewards, fulfillment and whatever else we anticipate great things will meet us on the other side of patience.
MR. RODGERS’ LEGACY
The presidential medal of freedom and his hall of fame induction are just a couple of his accomplishments. The longest running tv show on public television. Integrating racial acceptance as a norm well before it’s time and here we are all of these years later still struggling as a nation to understand the constitutional meaning of, “……liberty and justice for us all.”
Mr. Rodgers had so much too teach us. A luminary that was progressive, prolific, and prophetic beyond belief.
And his one simple hope for the world for us all to be a little kind to one another.
Wise words from a remarkable soul who leaves so much love filled wisdom.
If we could all just have such wonderful neighbors………