I LIKE YOU, JUST THE WAY YOU ARE
It was a gift, a word from God. Not in the Bible, but heaven-sent nonetheless. And, the day it arrived, it made for a beautiful day in the neighborhood. Does the title of this blog or the phrase, "a beautiful day in the neighborhood" bring to mind Mr. Rogers of PBS fame in children's programming? Well, that's good.
So why write about Mr. Rogers? It's his kindness that speaks to me, especially in these mean-spirited, fearful times. There's so much in the news and on social media to make us dislike others and ourselves. When was the last time you looked in the mirror and said, "I like you just the way you are"? Been awhile?
We're not thin, fit, smart, old/young or rich enough. And our children and grandchildren are suffering from external pressures put on them to be more or less than who they are. They're not hearing, "I like you just the way you are." Nor are we, most of the time.
So what brought this on? Well, two things. First I've been watching a PBS documentary on Mr. Rogers. And secondly, Meg Herman sent me a homemade card with the famous red sweater of Mr. Rogers drawn on the front. Inside Meg wrote, "I like you just the way you are." And I cried. And felt deeply touched by the kindness of being seen, as I am, and loved, anyhow. It's something each of us needs to know.
So, who needs to hear from you, "I like you just the way you are"?
And maybe, on one of our really hard days, dare to look in the mirror and imagine Jesus singing to us, "It's you I like."
And love.
8 Comments
Thanks Jan. This was the second time this morning that I was reminded of Mr Rogers, who always said, “I like you just the way you are.”
A good reminder that God created each one of us so uniquely. And loves us. Bless you this day!
Good morning, dear Sharon and Ken. How wonderful to hear from you. We all need reminders of God's unconditional love for us. And to be more accepting of the uniqueness of each image bearer of God. Too often, we have boxes and biases for others and for ourselves that no longer fit, if they ever did. Enjoy this day, and who you are.
Such a beautiful message. And what a sweet card you received! I agree with Meg! <3
Thanks, dear Wendy. And I can say the same for you and Steve!!!!! Blessings on your day and the week ahead. Who you are and what you do matters.
I have two very old cassettes of all Mr.Rogers' songs and I listen to them often! His love for children permeated all he did and said. We can learn alot from him. Here'sa great quote:
How I wish that all the children in this world could have at least one person who could embrace them and encourage them.
I wish that all children could have somebody who would let them know that the outsides of people are insignificant compared
with their insides: to show them that no matter what, they'll always have somebody who believes in them." ~ Fred Rogers
Thank you, dear Joyce, for sharing your story and this quote from Fred Rogers. One of the most beautiful and holy moments on TV, for me, was when Mr. Rogers interviewed a young boy who was disabled. He was in a wheelchair. Mr. Rogers asked him why he was in a wheelchair. The conversation was so real and respectful. Fred sat so he was eye to eye with Jeff, then sang, "It's You I Like." And soon Jeff joined in to sing the same words to Mr. Rogers. The lyrics are so powerful in their simplicity, such deeply loving and accepting words. It's all about what's inside, not outside, as your quote reminds us.
In answer to your question, "So, who needs to hear from you, “I like you just the way you are”? - I think it's me, myself, and I - the unholy trinity. I'm harder on myself than I ever am on anyone else. Thankful for strong arms of encouragement along the way like yours.
I think it's part of being Norwegian, dear Maggie. We're made of tough stock and so we're tough on ourselves. Well, that's what I'm choosing to hide behind. Really, it's so easy to listen to the wrong voices in our noisy culture. As to being "strong arms of encouragement", that must also be part of being Norwegian, since you and I do that for each other. Have fun in Norway. You and Mike with bless their socks off. Hope it's warm enough to go sock-less.