I’ve seen the new Mister Rogers movie twice, now. It’s A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood.

Maybe you’ve seen it. I hope, if you have, you are reflecting on it…even as it seemed slow. Quiet. Maybe even boring to some.

I felt uncomfortable for a bit the first time I saw it–I found myself wanting more action. More explaining. More…something. Then I paused…

And realized this is exactly the gift and message Mister Rogers lived and continues to share through all who are carrying his message forward.

Listening. Waiting. Appreciating. Gentleness. Focused attention. Wonder. Presence. Acceptance and allowance for uncomfortable feelings with no need to “make them go away.”

 

Ultimately, meaningful connection filled with love, wonder, and acceptance. All from living a PAUSE. Taking pause deeper and allowing it to create the space for others to feel, think, experience. Even–or most especially–the uncomfortable and what feels like the unmentionable.

For when you are given the grace of accepting, caring, gentle space–you are more likely going to feel the power of this grace and allow it to propel you forward. It’s often quite difficult, this propelling forward. It can, as we see in the movie, take time. Lots of time and patience and hurt feelings.

And yet, within the gentle space given by another, it becomes doable. And absolutely, ultimately meaningful in important and necessary ways. Connection that speaks volumes and can change lives in magnificent ways. Relationship-building. Relationship enriching.

I like you just the way you are. You are a whole and wonderful being BECAUSE of all your feelings. Never broken, always whole.

We are humans. We all have a full gamut of feelings. They are worth mentioning. And what is mention-able is manageable.

 

Absolutely.

Tom Hanks did a superb job of spreading Mister Rogers’ gentle, caring, PRESENT, truly interested, accepting way of being out to all of us–quietly and perhaps uncomfortably as we watch this important movie.

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This is what we need more of. Read here for another wonderful take on who Mister Rogers was and continues to be: https://www.theatlantic.com/…/mister-rogers-attenti…/603106/

With love and appreciation for all,
Alice
Author and Parent Coach
www.denaliparentcoaching.com
©2019 Alice Hanscam