Wednesday; April 22
The older I get and the more I watch the world, the more I appreciate Fred Rogers. In days gone by, the man who was at the heart of Mr. Rogers Neighborhood and the inspiration for Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood may have seemed out of step with the “real” world. He was soft-spoken, he didn’t draw attention to himself through slapstick comedy, nor would he demean or over exaggerate the role children played in the family or in the world. He didn’t use bright lights and flashy graphics to teach his lessons, he merely played the role of the trusted adult in the lives of his television neighborhood. I believe that history is kinder to Mr. Rogers than his contemporaries were to him. During his popularity he was often portrayed as being out-of-step with society and distanced from reality, yet he remained true to his values and beliefs. Not only was Fred Rogers perceptive as to what it took to reach children, he also had great insight into life. I came across a quote the other day that s