“There’s no person in the world like you, and I like you just the way you are.”
Mr. Rogers showed us that everyone has a unique purpose in the world. He showed us that we are special, but no more special than the next. In many ways, Mr. Rogers influenced my understanding of Spiritual well-centeredness.
Mr. Rogers taught us to accept people of all faiths, colors, and levels of ability. Officer Clemmons was black (and gay). I recall countless neighbors with “disabilities” (a term Fred Rogers did not care much for).
“Part of the problem with the word ‘disabilities’ is that it immediately suggests an inability to see or hear or walk or do other things that many of us take for granted. But what of people who can’t feel? Or talk about their feelings? Or manage their feelings in constructive ways? What of people who aren’t able to form close and strong relationships? And people who cannot find fulfillment in their lives, or those who have lost hope, who live in disappointment and bitterness and find in life no joy, no love? These, it seems to me, are the real disabilities.”
Mr. Roger’s invitation, “Won’t you be my neighbor?”, was not exclusive. We were taught to invite people into our lives and be their neighbor.
I can easily accept the “there’s no person in the world like you” statement. Admittedly, I do struggle with the “I like you just the way you are” part. It is more a struggle with how people act, but I still have expectations that people will change to be more to my liking. I do believe it is clear, though, that, when Mr. Rogers says “I like you just the way you are”, he is not referring to bigoted, abusive, and hateful people. Such people need a different kind of love. “I like you just the way you are”, by no means, implies that any of us need to remain the way we are.
Be your best today; be better tomorrow.
Carpe momento!