In Like a Lion

Today, March came in like a lion in so many ways.

I'm not just talking about the storm last night (which is still, somehow, still going on). In the past couple weeks, we've had news that ranges from scary thing to other scary thing to yet more scary things. Any of these would have been major headlines when we were kids, but now they are just part of the background, which creates more and more of an uneasy feeling to those less jaded--the kids.

Once again--fortunately and unfortunately--I am reminded of a quote that gave me comfort after 9/11. It was the wise word of one of my personal favorite people who has ever lived, Mister Fred Rogers.

"If you grew up with our Neighborhood, you may remember how we sometimes talked about difficult things. There were days ... even beautiful days ... that weren't happy. In fact, there were some that were really sad.

Well, we've had a lot of days like that in our whole world. We've seen what some people do when they don't know anything else to do with their anger.

I'm convinced that when we help our children find healthy ways of dealing with their feelings--ways that don't hurt them or anyone else--we're helping to make our world a safer, better place.

I would like to tell you what I often told you when you were much younger: I like you just the way you are.

And what's more, I'm so grateful to you for helping the children in your life to know that you'll do everything you can to keep them safe and to help them express their feelings in ways that will bring healing in many different neighborhoods."

What I wouldn't give to use the Anytime Anywhere Machine or Miss Z's Whiteboard to go back and bring Mister Rogers into the present day. Unfortunately, I don't think he would like it very much. But we all know he would make everyone feel better.

Doggone it, while digging around a little bit, I found a quote from Mister Rogers that may even work better for this instance:

"When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, 'Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.' To this day, especially in times of 'disaster,' I remember my mother's words, and I am always comforted by realizing that there are still so many helpers--so many caring people in this world."

All I can say is, thanks to people like Fred Rogers, this world is a little less scary, and much better off as a result. We need more of him in our present.