"Won't You Be My Neighbor?"

Today we took in the new and highly acclaimed documentary about the late Fred Rogers, and what can I say?  It was terrific and timely reminder of what is really needed in the world today.

An ordained Presbyterian minister, Fred Rogers made the caring of children his ministry and he used public television as his "church".  Another minister interviewed for the documentary said that while Fred never wore a collar, he was without doubt the most effective minister that he had ever encountered.  When you see the movie and hear what Mr. Rogers said - and his words are still powerful fifteen years after his death - you become aware that his message means more than just about anything that you see and hear from the influence makers of 2018.

I cannot recommend this film highly enough.  It gets a full Four Stars from The Grandstander.

Those who know me know of Marilyn's and my association with The Highmark Caring Place.  What people may not know is that Fred Rogers was an early advocate and a co-founder of The Caring Place. He served as Honorary Chairman of the Caring Foundation and spokesman from its inception in 1985 until his death in 2003.  Again, those who know me know how I feel about the Caring Place and seeing this movie today makes us doubly proud to be associated, however tangentially, with an institution that was so closely associated with Fred Rogers.  

This quote from Fred Rogers is prominently displayed on the walls of all four Caring Place locations, and it is worth sharing:

"It is only natural that we and our children find many things hard to talk about.

But anything human is mentionable and anything mentionable can be manageable.

The mentioning can be difficult, and the managing too, but both can be done if we're surrounded by love and trust."