The Lessons of Mr. Rogers
I am reading Let This Radicalize You: Organizing and the Revolution of Reciprocal Care by Kelly Hayes & Mariame Kaba. It's more than just a book about activism, it's about hope and community and how we care not only for each other but for ourselves while doing this work of changing the world.
I got a free e-copy from Haymarket Books, which is an amazing online bookstore. If you sign up for their newsletter you frequently get emails about free ebooks that are available. I'm definitely going to order a hard copy of this though, as I have the need to dogear pages (I know, I'm that sort of monster * grins *) and scribble in margins and highlight a bunch of the text so I can revisit it.
I grew up in rural Colorado in the 80s, where the only TV was was we could pick up with the rabbit ears. My mother didn't let us watch much though and PBS was usually the order of the day. So my childhood was filled with Sesame Street, the Electric Company, Cosmos, Doctor Who, and of course Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood.
If you asked me who the best human beings in the world were, I'd probably tell you that Fred Rogers was among them. If you never had a chance to see his show or watch him speak, I'd recommend at least watching the video interview I'll link below. His measured speech was deliberate, a way to push back against the busy world. His kindness genuine. His faith demonstrated not by his words but by his actions.
The comfort and care that Mr. Rogers exemplified every afternoon, while also encouraging kids to imagine and dream, is unmatched. Even though I think his work spawned so many shows that attempted to pass on that same message. He told us we were special, that we deserved care, that others deserved care, and that being yourself was the best thing you could be in the whole world.
In the world right now, where it feels like the crush of technology is grinding all art into dust. Where fascism is kettling us into a dead-end street that we're going to have to fight our way out of, it's hard to remember that hope exists. It's hard to remember that there are good people in the world tirelessly working for something better. I hope you remember that you are one of those people and even if it's something as simple as making sure your loved ones are doing okay, that's part of this endless and quiet work.
In an Interview with Charlie Rose, Mr. Rogers was talking about the book he had coming out and this exchange happened when Charlie Rose asked: "It's about what in the end?"
"It's about the white spaces between the paragraphs which I think are more important than any of the text."
I have always been a big fan of the white space, the pause, the held breath. That moment where you stop and take everything in. Our world is so busy and frenetic, we far too often forget to slow down or even to stop for just a moment.
Do me a favor today. At some point, stop. Look at the sky. Or your hands. Or just stare off into the middle distance. Really acknowledge the present moment you're in. Let it sink into your bones. Feel the beat of your heart in your chest, the air in your lungs. Let everything else go for a moment and just be still.
We're still here.
Love,
K
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