Most people think of Mister Rogers as being a kind and gentle soul. But to my mind, he was also a warrior.
When Fred Rogers first saw television, he hated it.
“I got into television because I saw people throwing pies at each other’s faces. And if there’s anything that bothers me, it’s one person demeaning another. That really makes me mad.”
Fred Rogers in Mr. Rogers & Me
So, what did he do? He made it his mission in life to create a safe and nurturing TV show for children. And for over 30 years, Mister Rogers did just that, writing over 200 songs and hosting over 1,000 episodes. Fred Rogers succeeded in building a neighborhood of his own, all while wearing sweaters knitted by his mother.
That’s not a joke.
Mister Rogers, also a reverend, was the real deal. No drama. No scandals. No backing down when the government tried to cut funding to public television. Click here to see Mister Rogers addressing the Senate.
Like few others in the public eye, the man and his mission were one in the same. Still, with everything he accomplished, perhaps his greatest legacy was the simple, but profound message he delivered to generations of children–
“I like you just the way you are.”
Over and over, Mister Rogers let kids know, “You are special just by being you.”
Powerful words. And yet, something is missing!
Why? Because believing you’re special isn’t enough. You must also be brave enough to share what makes you special. Mister Rogers understood that.
“As human beings, our job in life is to help people realize how rare and valuable each one of us really is[…] It’s our job to encourage each other to discover that uniqueness and to provide ways of developing its expression.”
The World According to Mister Rogers
Like the man said, once you figure out what makes you special, you must get to work developing it. Your ideas, your voice, your style, your movement, your values.
Speak your mind. Make your stand. Live your life.
Great advice. But there’s still something missing!
Because the more you express yourself, the more you will attract critics. Yes, you’ll attract friends and fans, too, but it’s the critics who will make you doubt what makes you special and hold you back from sharing it.
Even worse, some people will mock and attack what makes you special. These are the bullies of the world. The bad guys. This is where Mister Rogers left me unprepared. He never told me what to do when confronted by bad guys.
Mister Rogers was a godly man, so I’m sure he’d tell me to ignore them. Forgive them. Just keep being you. After all, that’s what he did when people made fun of him.
But that’s not good enough. Life can be a lot harsher than just being laughed at or called names. Which is why I want to add something to his legacy.
I want to tell every child in the world they are worth fighting for.
I want to tell every child they can fight back against bad guys and still be a kind person.
And I want to say the same to the child in you.
Because you are special.
You have the right to step up, stand up, and speak up.
If someone harms or abuses you, you have the right to fight back.
If someone abuses someone you love, you have the right to stop them.
It may sound silly, but just once, I wish I had seen Mister Rogers punch a bully in the nose. Just to let me know that he understood that sometimes you can’t walk away. Or run away. That sometimes even the nicest people in the neighborhood have to fight back against the bad guys.
I wish Mister Rogers had told me that sometimes good people have to do ugly things. Not out of hatred of others, but out of love for ourselves. I wish I could hear him say–
Never let the bullies of the world make you forget you are special. And never let the bad guys of the world stop you from sharing what makes you unique.
Of course, Mister Rogers is no longer here, so that’s not going to happen. Which is why, in his honor, I’m going to tell you. Consider me the “Mister Rogers of Martial Arts”. And here’s my message:
If you don’t protect what makes you special, you won’t be special. Fight back against anything or anyone who tries to stop you from being you.
If you let the bullies win, the mission of Mister Rogers dies. Even worse, your mission dies.
So, keep Mister Rogers’ message alive in your heart: You are special. And never forget–
You are worth fighting for!
For another inspiring moment from Mister Rogers, watch this…
I grew up with Mr. Rogers! He was the most consistent and steadfast person I ever saw. He helped me believe in myself, Ando, the same way that you help others believe in themselves.
Maybe we should knit you a nice sweater and call you “Mr. Mierzwa.”
“Consistent and steadfast.” Excellent word choices, Andrea! It takes time to recognize these qualities in someone, which is why it took me years to fully appreciate how powerful Mister Rogers really was. Let’s all stick to our guns!
And hey–if you knit it, I’ll wear it! 😀
Totally inspiring. Always was always will be… Thanks!!!
Agreed! 🙂
You are definitely MY Mr. Rogers! Thank you Sensei Ando!
A huge compliment! Thank you. Now I’ll have to live up to it! 🙂
Good read. When I was a kid I didn’t sit still long enough to really pay attention to Mr. Rogers. It wasn’t until I was in my twenties with my own children that I realized he was one of the good guys.
Yes, sir. One of the good–if not great–guys! Glad you and your kids found him.