Could You Be…Won’t You Be…
If you have been to the JES Campbell Author Page on Amazon, you will see the following description in the author description…
“S” was born in Washington, D.C. and moved to Southern Maryland where he cultivated a sense of adventure in the collapsed gambling town of Waldorf, Maryland in the 1970's. He rebelled against his hyper-religious upbringing by retreating into his own worlds, driven by Role Playing Games and the nerdist community.
… and, from the view of an outsider, I think this is a pretty good summation of elementary through high school life. Some within the religious community, or family members, may see it otherwise and that is a matter of perspective and belief.
Recently, my folks visited our home and over the course of events, my mother stated that her most favorite current move (even though it was “violent”) was A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood. Yes. The Mr. Rodgers movie. Violent. She had no idea. So, over the course of the visit and constant name drops - you know the type, “Oh that was just like Tom Hanks in the Mr. Rodgers movie.” , or , “Hey, “E”, wouldn’t it be nice if we watched the Mr. Rodgers movie ?” Needless to say, after 24 hours, we were watching this movie in the living room. “E” got away with missing out, but “J” and I were held captive because I wasn’t quick enough to lose the batteries to the remotes or just bluntly saying “no”.
Although some that know me and my family would disagree, I would say this isn’t the first time my mother selected a movie with a “message” that she wanted to deliver; thinking, of course, that my interest would be piqued and that this would turn our relationship on a dime into something more desireable. The issue is, of course, in order to have such a thing happen would be both sides must desire a relationship (heck, Simon and Garfunkel at least got together for the money)…and perception plays a big role in that.
I’m not here to insult the memory of Fred Rodgers. He was a good man. I’m pretty sure the entirety of the movie followed the series of events the original article was written upon, and I’m sure that something happened to the author as a result of opening himself up to Mr. Rodgers. I just didn’t enjoy the movie - and a lot of that may be in MY perception of why we were all gathered around to watch it - that there was a lesson my mother wanted me to learn. My big takeaways from the movie were this :
No man is an island; we are made up from the experiences we have with people (good and bad). This is exemplified in the restaurant scene where Rodgers asks for “a minute of silence to think about all those that have loved us into being”. Love, of course, is relative. I choose to think of the meditations on drops of water in a still lake, how the ripples play upon one another and shape us into what we are.
Through strict regimen, man can find peace with himself and others. This was outright stated in the movie; Rodgers prayed for people by name , swam every morning, did the show, etc. in a strict routine. I choose to think of this as discipline in acts and of mind.
By treating people with respect and kindness, even in the face of adversity or disagreement, the outcome does not have to be one of Negativity. Disagree - respectfully. This is exemplified when Rodgers is asked about his sons, and how he humbles himself and thanks the reporter.
Did I learn this from the movie ? No, I’m a believer that most of the fundamentals we learn are instilled by Kindergarten - all the other stuff comes from interacting with our peers over time. In the end, I think that the end goal wasn’t to learn these messages, but more of the “togetherness of family “ message. However, I want to focus on these as they pertain to other news going on.
It’s been a big week. November is coming, and all sorts of discussion points have been tossed around from or at either side of the political aisle. RBG has passed, with the predicable response from all sides about “going nuclear”. Fires are still burning out West, and in our cities. Rhetoric is being made from all walks of life regarding “justice” with limited definition of what that term really means. Sometimes, the adage that “one’s emotional response is inversely proportional to their understanding” seems more of a reality.
Maybe if we, as neighbors - truly, responsible neighbors, remember that what we do affects people - and not just those in immediate proximity of us- that we show added discipline to respect opposing views and act humbly… all this politicizing and seeking quick returns on social media will end. Popularity isn’t there to justify the “rightness” of your statements, after all, you are friended by only the like-minded.
Wouldn’t all our Mom’s be proud ?
Five Miles Downrange :
Disagree, respectfully. Actively listen. Find your moral compass, and know when “True North” is being displaced and when adjustments need to be made.
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We have two ongoing “Business” Announcements just in time for Halloween …
We have concluded negotiations with GOODREADS for an upcoming KINDLE giveaway of Gruff Ending. Look for announcements coming closer to October.
Similarly , be on the lookout in late October for a free giveaway of Blue Summer on KINDLE through the Amazon marketplace in late October.
