Rewatching episodes of "Mr Rogers Neighborhood" is the very best sort of therapy

Mates, I stumbled upon this about a month ago and there's something about the nostalgia and the wholesomeness that is food for the soul. The funny thing is, I had such a grand childhood that I didn't really even need the Mr. Rogers television programme like so many of my less fortunate peers of the 80's.

Now, with the world gone to hell in many respects, and with me wandering through my own personal version of "The Twilight Zone" for most of the past 5 years, I sometimes get misty eyed as I re-learn lessons of kindness and self-love that I probably never really needed until recently. Why, on today's episode (#1758 according to YouTube) I gained an appreciation for the beauty of ballet and the effort that goes into it. It reminded me of the lessons I've learned lately about the joy and value and pride that goes into hard work and improvement. I learned the value of keeping your home and your belongings in a neat, tidy, and orderly fashion. The little bit of extra time it takes to put "everything in its right place" pays off threefold in terms of having an uncluttered space and mind. And I was reminded of kindness towards others, a particularly important lesson as the masked Portlanders are out and about in increasing force. The masks rather tend to trigger me and remind me of the darkest days of my recent past. But we each have our own journey, and perhaps the masked Porlanders have simply had different life experiences than me, and wearing an ineffective and unsightly mask in public somehow helps them to feel safe and comfortable (and isn't that what we all crave?).

My very favourite part of the programme is always the closing song that Fred Rogers sings warmly into the camera.

quote:

---

It's such a good.. feeling to know you're alive!
It's such a happy... feeling, you're growing inside!
And when you WAKE UP... ready to say.....
I think I'll make a SNAPPY... New day! (*snap* *snap)....

---