The three phases of Mister Rogers

I have found as I have gotten older, and now have children of my own, that I gone through three phases of Mister Rogers. The first phase was filled with wonderment, and awe at this make believe neighborhood, somewhere in the middle of America. A red trolley sounded its bell of entrance into this make believe world, filled with puppets who all had the same voice. Mister Roger's was my first babysitter of sorts, teaching me much about attitude, graciousness, and a new song or two. Phase two came around in junior high/high school. Everyone made fun of the man in the red sweater, with the sweaty sneakers. Eddie Murphy put a voice to our poking fun of a man who only a few years earlier had been a trying to teach us how to be a good neighbor. Now enter phase three of Mister Rogers, and my current frame of mind and spirit. It is only in the last few years that I have once again become enamored with this enigma of a man in a red sweater. Last year after much searching, I borrowed a book titled "I'm so proud of you". It is written from the viewpoint of a newspaper reporter, and his friendship with the man Fred Rogers. His friendship made up of letters and emails trickling through a period of about 7 years. At the end of each letter, Mister Rogers would sign off with IPOY (I am proud of you). I became endeared through this man's example of encouragement, and mentoring that he offered. Recently I received another book by Fred Rogers titled, "Many ways to say I love you". As a parent now, I have a newfound appreciation for the motives, and ways of Mister Rogers. His generous spirit gave so much to me, and many others. Hopefully we can provide a trickle down effect on the children we now have to raise. Soon they will be experiencing their first phase of Mister Rogers. "Children who hear that they are loved in many different ways are likely to find their own ways to say it to the people they love - all through their lives." Long live Mister Rogers neighborhood!