Fearless Authenticity
Sister ordered it back in September with the delightful declaration of “You need this book”. I received it a few days later with anticipation and a whole lotta gleeeeee for I KNEW I’d whip right through !! Yes, my youngest sibling was correct, THIS would be the PERFECT read for me.
YaY
Welp. Here we are, closing in on the last days of January and I am straight out embarrassed to report, I have not reached THE END.
The good news is, I am enjoying it in waves. Picking it up and paying attention to it’s many motivating words when life is quiet. Highlighting here, exclamation and dog earring there, I truly am adoring every single sentence of The Good Neighbor (The Life and Work of Fred Rogers)
& yup, your memory serves you correctly when you say, ” ummm. Haven’t you written about Mr Fred two or three or one hundred times before ??”
I can’t stop myself !! He’s so darn inspirational and practical and kind and caring that I want to continually share his simple beliefs. So, bear with me, please, as I hand over more of his incredible quotes …
“Please, think of the children first. If you ever have anything to do with their entertainment, their food, their toys, their custody, their day care, their health, their education –please listen to the children, learn about them, learn from them.”
“I’ll never forget the sense of wholeness I felt when I finally realized what I was — songwriter, telecommunicator, student of human development, language buff — but that all those things and more could be used in the service of children’s healthy growing. The directions weren’t written in invisible ink on the back of my diploma. They came ever so slowly for me; and ever so firmly I trusted that they would emerge. All I can say is, it’s worth the struggle to discover who you really are.”
“When I was a boy I used to think that strong meant having big muscles, great physical power; but the longer I live, the more I realize that real strength has much more to do with what is not seen. Real strength has to do with helping others.”
“All of us have special ones who have loved us into being. Would you just take, along with me, ten seconds to think of the people who have helped you become who you are? … Ten seconds of silence.”
& finally, my new forever mantra …. !! …
“Believe you. It is your story that is important. It is your mind and heart that can make things possible — just because of who you are.”
& ohmygosh !!
Oh Life, you busied me up and slowed me down. You perfectly timed to help me realize the importance of this man and how each and every single one of us IS SPECIAL and that we absolutely CAN make our own, totally unique difference in this world !!
weeeeeee.
Thank you for your fearless authenticity, Mr Rogers !! Thank you for your fabulous work, author Maxwell King !!
& Thank YOU for knowing ME, my sister.
21 pages to go !!
🙂