As I prepare for another No Kings protest, I reflect on all the ways activisms can turn the tide from wrong into right, bad into good, hate into love. Most people think activism is consistent and active protesting in the streets to show resistance, but there are many ways that activism can be presented that creates an open heart and dialog to occur. This is when I look to the wisdom of Mr. Rogers to help put things into perspective. I grew up on “Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood” and his soft tone of voice always soothed me while he was presenting a clear path toward open communication, love, and inclusivity. He showed me how to be friends with people that I may not know, or people who were different than me, without my complete understanding of why these relationships were important. It was a softening of the heart and an open willingness to explore and embrace our differences and explore the unknown.
Mr. Rogers encapsulated love, home, belonging, and warmth. Wearing sweaters his mother made in his shows was a symbol of love, comfort and his connection to home. A lesson he wanted to convey in every episode. He created secret messages like “143” which meant “I Love You” representing the number of letters that made up each of those 3 words. His mother coined the phrase “Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.”, when he was a little boy and he would see scary things on the news. Building community on love and caring for others is who he was. He built bridges between races and build community by inviting a diverse range of guests to remove any fear of differences in lifestyle, race, or religion. His multi-generational message was relevant then, and is relevant now, and will always be a guidepost for future generations if we open our hearts to the unknown with the wisdom of Mr. Rogers and applying our curiosity like a child.
Activism to me is the neighborhood conversations in your community about common ground things that are important to everyone. It is the letters you write to your representatives framed in inclusivity and love. It’s about exposing policies being proposed in government that are against the values and interests of you and your neighbors. It is being part of something that is for the greater good of all mankind. It is about allowing people to live their lives in the way that they want and loving whomever they love without fear while also providing a thoughtful message of understanding to those who want to silence differences instead of embracing it. All of these require using your voice, creating a setting that will allow you to build a non-threatening conversation, and listening with love. It is possible to tamp down the “I’m right, you’re wrong” and take a moment to listen to your neighbor, your family members, or others you might have disagreements on policy or behavior to find a middle ground of agreement. This will take the fear out of the conversation and allow everyone to find a baseline to work from.
Mr. Rogers taught me how to be kind, loving, and listen to others. On this No Kings Day it is a time to unify, make a personal plan on how to reverse what has been done, and become actively engaged. Find your community, ask yourself what you can do to become a “helper” and build a wave of “143” across this country.
Here are a few of my favorite quotes to help you carry on the work of Mr. Rogers now and throughout your lives forever through generational inspiration.
“It’s not so much what we have in this life that matters. It’s what we do with what we have.”
“The connections we make in the course of a life—maybe that’s what heaven is.”
“Love isn’t a state of perfect caring. It is an active noun like ‘struggle.’ To love someone is to strive to accept that person exactly the way he or she is, right here and now.”
RIP Mr. Rogers. I aspire to rise to the level of your quiet but impactful love.