Dear Friends
When "Mr. Rodgers Neighborhood" made its debut in 1968, I was 16. So although I was aware of his show, I was not a big fan or regular watcher. This past Saturday, at the end of a wonderful week with Emily, we went to the movies and saw the 50th anniversary documentary about the life of Fred Rodgers. I had moderate expectations going into the theater but I came out a big fan. The gospel had been preached so well, loud and clear. It is so timely given the current state of civility in this country, or shall I say lack of civility. Go see "Won't you be my neighbor?". You will not be disappointed.
It reminded me of a book I bought at "Title Wave", the biggest used book store I have ever seen. (It is an Alaska landmark). The title is "What the Elders Have Taught Us" and it includes nuggets of advice from ten Native American communities in Alaska. A married couple here at the Thomas Center represent two of these communities.
In summary, the ten lessons from the ten communities are:
Show respect to others; each person has a special gift
See connections; all things are related
Honor your elders; they show you the way in life
Accept what life brings; you cannot control many things
Have patience; some things cannot be rushed
Pray for guidance; many things are not known
Live carefully; what you do will come back to you
Take care of others; you cannot live without them
Give what you have; sharing makes you rich
Know who you are; you are a reflection on your family
If you get a chance to go see "Won't you be my Neighbor?" (and I hope you do) you will discover that "Mr. Rodgers Neighborhood" was a radical and refreshing entry into the world of children's television. It proclaimed, in a unique and powerful way, the timeless gospel message that each person is special and loved by God, just as they are.
Living that message and following the wisdom of our native American elders outlined above will not change the headlines. But it will bring joy and freedom and break down walls. It will expand your understanding of who your neighbor is and where your neighborhood is.
John
Saw it today. My favorite quote was that you don’t have to do anything spectacular lot be loved. I had a 4 y/o DeAnna in 1964 and so we watched him together. I feel blessed to have done that.
ReplyDeleteThanks for this, John!
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