Sonderbooks Book Review of Life's Journeys According to Mister Rogers

Reviewed May 12, 2005.
Hyperion, New York, 2005. 161 pages.
Available at Sembach Library (MCN 170 ROG).

Here’s a delightful little book, suitable for giving to a graduate or indeed anyone with warm memories of Mister Rogers. It collects wise sayings from his life and work about life and work. I’ll copy a few of my favorites to give you the idea:

“As a relationship matures, you start to see that just being there for each other is the most important thing you can do, just being there to listen and be sorry with them, to be happy with them, to share all that there is to share.”

“Finding out that we are one of a kind could be a lonely and frightening thing without the reassurance of knowing that we belong to humankind, and that all humans laugh and cry about many of the same things, that all have similar hopes and fears, that all have many of the same needs, and that those needs are best met by other human beings who can love us for both our similarities and our differences.”

“The roots of all our lives go very, very deep, and we can’t really understand a person unless we have the chance of knowing who that person has been, and what that person has done and liked and suffered and believed.”

“It can sometimes be difficult to ask for support when we need it, but having someone we can count on to stick with us through the tough times can make those times much more bearable.”

“I feel I’ve been greatly blessed by many people I’ve been able to meet and come to know. Sure, I’ve worked hard. You don’t choose a job and expect not to work hard. But you can expect that you don’t have to do it alone. Nobody should have to do it alone.”

“You’ll be the one to decide your next steps . . . and the next steps won’t all be easy—not by any means—but if they’re honest, they’ll be worth the try. Any real work has its tough times (you know that), and any real love has its trials. I wish you the kind of life’s work in which you can use the greatest part of who you are; and I wish you the kind of life’s love that will enhance all that you do, as well as all that you are.”

An inspiring collection of wisdom from a truly wise man.

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Book Reviews by Sondra Eklund

*****Life's Journeys According to Mister Rogers*

Things to Remember Along the Way

by Fred Rogers