Cooperation, Persistence, Patience, Sharing, and Positivity
This post is the third for Oppenheim Law’s senior partner, Ellen Pilelsky, as she discusses Florida real estate and foreclosure, sharing her perspective “From the Heart.” Oppenheim Law looks forward to your continued feedback and support for this new column.
It has been seven years since Fred Rogers, the star of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood, has died. Although the series of his well-known Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood can now only be found online (in fact there was a contest for the best show), we can all learn from Fred Rogers.
In these turbulent times, it is actually refreshing to view one of Mister Rodgers’ episodes. It reminds us how critical our role is not only to our children but also to our community. Mister Rogers embodies the “old time” values when neighbors knew each other, cared for each other and made sure that our children learned how to positively deal with others.
Interestingly, Mister Rogers’ series still gives us a gentle yet firm reminder of how timeless skills such as cooperation, persistence, patience, sharing, and the ability to remain positive helps us in any situation and any time. Generations of children and adults were and are drawn to these old episodes because they embody how simple life really can be. Even when we are dragged into negativity from the economy, war, and rampant unemployment, there existed and can still exist a better way.
In fact, Mister Rogers provides us all with the “good” feeling that we have the ability to act and face our difficulties. His episodes support a young child’s self-confidence by focusing on moving past frustrations and inevitable failures. In fact, his earmark lines, “You’ve made this day a special day just by being you. You are the only person like you in this whole world. And people can like you just because you’re you,” give us hope that we can count on and overcome difficulty
What can we, as adults, take from this?
Even though we may be burdened with debt, face foreclosure, or have encountered some difficulties, we still must and will go on. Somewhere deep inside of us we all, like Mister Rogers, have the ability to cope, become resilient, treat ourselves and our neighbors with respect, and move forward.
From the heart,
Ellen Pilelsky, Esq.
