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Just the Way You Are

In this episode - Just the Way You Are . . .

“Childhood lies at the very heart of who we are and who we become.” Fred Rogers (Mr. Rogers)

What are you feeling this New Year 2021? Who are you? Do you feel hopeful, joyful, optimistic, or with the recent news events are you cynical, feeling scared, and ill-prepared for what’s to come?”

That’s OK, “I like you just the way you are.” - Mr. Rogers

“It’s a beautiful day in this neighborhood, A beautiful day for a neighbor . . .”

I’ll admit in 1969 whenever I heard that song I would jump up from the couch and change the channel on the television. In my kid world, there were more important things to watch on television . . . Batman, Superman, Gilligan’s Island, I Dream of Jeannie, Bonanza, The Rifleman, to name a few.

Watch Mr. Rogers Neighborhood, that’s a little kids show - “No way, I’m too old for that.” Huh, was I really?

However, until recently, while recording poems and stories for this Podcast I began to wonder, “What type of stories DO children like?”

Honestly, not having raised children myself, I had no idea. 

Stories in this turbulent world we live in are confusing to adults. I can only imagine what little children think. And how they are affected.

For example, “Breaking News” . . . the COVID pandemic has taken over 372,000 lives, protests continue to divide our nation. The President is lying. It’s everywhere, YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, and of course television. The most powerful influencer.

Sadly, people only share stories of friends, classmates, and family that have died. Why? That’s demoralizing. And after the continued bombardment of such news, you simply lose any empathy (callused) you may have felt for those stories.

How do little children respond to all this? I’m sure they are scared and confused. Just as I was watching and listening to TV actors from the 1960s like Boris Karloff in the roles they portrayed.

So, I asked a neighbor, “What do your kids like, what do read to them?” To my amazement, this young family's favorite children's story on video was - “The Grinch.”

My first thought was . . . really? The Grinch? What a scary story. As a young child, the Grinch was a television animated feature that always frightened me. Why? Because of the terrifying voice of Boris Karloff. What a frighting man he was. He sounded evil.

You see, books were not something we had growing up. It was the profound impact of television that shaped my fears, my dreams, and my values.

Through Mr. Rogers though we learned that - “Feelings are our shared common ground.” When a loving parent or neighbor reads aloud to children, stories transport these children to the land of make-believe. This in turn creates a loving bond between the parent and their children.

We had never read the Dr. Seuss book, How the Grinch Stole Christmas. So, I did what I thought best, bought the book and began reading it into the microphone.

You may have heard the Podcast episode - The Grinch. 

Oh, what fun we had. It was pure delight, the fun of pretending to read to your child. The story was not scary at all. I discovered it was a story of redemption, hope, and pure joy!

So, as we move into this New Year I’m asking, “Please,  won’t you be my neighbor?” Let’s share the stories that have made a difference in your life for the better.

You will feel better, just the way you are.

If you enjoy our weekly visits, please share them with a friend.

This is Patrick Ball, thanks for listening. See you in the next episode.

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