How many of you grew up watching Mr. Roger’s Neighborhood? Or maybe you watched another program created by this exceptionally talented, humble man. I remember watching Daniel Tiger, Lady Aberlin, and Mr. McNeely as they interacted with the quiet-spoken (and a little geeky) Mr. Rogers when I was a child and then again when my children were young. It seems incredible that a children’s show could be popular across generations—it aired original episodes for 33 years. I loved Trolley and King Friday XIII, but I especially loved the kindness Mr. Rogers exuded on each episode. A cynical person might wonder how true-to-character Mr. Rogers was, especially in this world where our heroes are often unmasked to more closely resemble villains.
I used to Google actors with whom I felt admiration based on nothing more than the parts they played. I quit doing that when I discovered over and over again that they lived a life of self-indulgence and narcissism. What did I expect? It takes a pretty big ego to become an actor, and the more famous, the more inflated the ego would tend to be. I’m not saying that’s true of all actors—this is a gross generalization—but those that I’ve Googled disappoint more often than not.
This cynical viewpoint is not much different than that of the investigative journalist who interviewed Fred Rogers in 1998 for Esquire magazine. He quickly discovered that most people had two personalities—and the true character rarely lived up to the hype. So when he was given the assignment to do a quick (400-word) write up on Fred Rogers as one of the many “heroes” they were spotlighting, he was confounded that the “real” Fred Rogers and the “persona” of Fred Rogers was the same.
The movie A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood isn’t just about Mr. Rogers. In fact, the real story is how this humble man impacted the cynical journalist and changed how he viewed life. This is what we, as Christians, are called to do, as well. Sadly, it’s not as evident as one would hope. We get caught up in our lives and forget that we’re here by grace alone and what we do in this world counts.
Sean Dietrich being kind to one of his fans (me!)
Last week, I read a blog post by Sean Dietrich (better known as Sean of the South) called Don’t be a Jerk. The title says it all. Sean Dietrich is one of those humble men who seems surprised that he impacts people on a daily basis. He’s overcome many struggles to live a simple life—but one that honors God rather than self. This is refreshing. He genuinely loves people. We live in a world where the jerk-factor seems to rise exponentially every year. We’re too self-involved to show the simplest kindness to those around us. Why is it there are so many angry people in the world? I have some theories, but I’ll save them for a later post.
I bring up Sean Dietrich because his post was still resonating with me when my husband and I went to see A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood on Friday night. Tom Hanks did an amazing job of recreating Mr. Rogers. I can’t tell you how many times I teared up throughout the movie. I can’t even explain why. There was something about the struggle the journalist went through and the non-judgmental grace shown by Mr. Rogers as he witnessed it. It reminds me we are not meant for this world and there is a better one, a richer one awaiting us.
If you need a boost of kindness and grace, I encourage you to see this movie. It will open your eyes to the possibilities—and maybe even make you want to be a little kinder. What better focus this Thanksgiving week could there be? Happy Thanksgiving and may God bless you and yours.
