"...just the way you are."

My earliest memories include watching Romper Room and later Captain Kangaroo each morning; I still love to sing one of the songs from his show, “Playmate, Come out and Play with Me”. I was so sad when he finally went off the air, he was a dear friend. I had never been much of a fan of Mr. Rogers; his show seemed a little too calm, even sugary sweet for my tastes (although I DID appreciate his proper use of the English language). So when I had children of my own, we were drawn to the more lively Sesame Street which became a regular part of our daily routine. Occasionally, if we happened to catch him, we would also watch Mr. Rogers, but really it was only because it was on, and we were there.

One day the children were off playing in another room and I sat down to fold laundry just as Mr. Rogers sang his closing number. Then he looked right at me and said, “I like you just the way you are.” I had heard him say it a hundred times before, but that day I knew he was talking to me, and it was exactly what I needed to hear. I don’t think anyone had ever said that to me before, but it spoke volumes to me and I finally understood why it is such a precious thing for children to hear, for all of us to hear. He was telling me that my identity is not just a list of my weaknesses, my mistakes, my daily challenges and the way I get frustrated; or that only as I overcome these things “someday” will I be acceptable. He was telling me that I am important, good, worthy, worthwhile, valuable, accepted and even loved, now. Not because he doesn’t know all of those things about me, not even in spite of all of those things. He saw each one of us as a whole package, a whole wonderful package at this very moment in time. That was his magic; not catchy songs or cute characters. It was his Christ-like eyes, through which he saw this world, everyone and everything in it as truly marvelous. Oh that we all could be more that way…

Thank-you, dear friend.