We've forgotten how to listen. Mr. Rogers already showed us how.

A lot of American kids grew up with Mr. Rogers, and very few knew he was an ordained pastor until they were much older. The strange thing was, he was teaching us all how to be more like Jesus on his show, more so than most churches out there. He was what I would call a "true priest": someone who is a not only a helper and a listener, but demonstrates love and compassion through their actions. He never needed to be loud and boisterous about his own faith-- he just lived it and showed kids how to live the same way.

And, honestly, he is one of the priests I consider a spiritual mentor and whose actions I try to emulate. He didn't talk down to anyone or assume that a topic was too much for a kid, nor did he think anyone was unworthy to be listened to. If a difficult topic came up, he talked about it in a way that made one realize, "Oh, I'm not the only person who's been through something like that, or feels a certain way!" He demonstrated, through the way he treated the people in his life and on his show, how to be a kind and compassionate person and to respect the personhood of everyone. He would see problems in the world and address them on Mr. Roger's Neighborhood, not with a rant or lengthy theological discourse, but by inviting someone from a culture, or race, or age, or profession that was affected and listen to their story. He would be curious and kind, asking questions about the person's life and work. He also taught about taking responsibility for one's actions, teaching us that mistakes are a normal part of life and that apologies are good, but sometimes aren't enough. We have to learn from the mistakes we've made so we don't hurt anyone else and do better with our own words and actions.

To put it another way, he understood the assignment Jesus and all the other prophets and philosophers gave us: to love and care for one another as human beings, acknowledging that it wasn't always easy, but it is, always, the right thing to do.

It's hard, now, to be like Mr. Rogers, because kindness and compassion is either "too woke" or "not woke enough in the right way." There is a notable lack of curiosity, kindness, and compassion in the world right now. Heck, there's a severe lack of just doing the right thing, period. We've been conditioned to normalize rage, hate, violence, and anger through propaganda from those in power. Many of those in power, who give permission through their actions to others be cruel, speak the name of Jesus, but don't truly understand the assignment that was given by Him.

I think it's rather sad that a lot of those who have taken up the work Mr. Rogers did get drowned out by hatred and greed. Not only by the right wing and billionaires, but also by leftists (particularly in the US), who criticize the helpers for not doing enough, or not doing it in a way that they think it should be done.

But here's the kicker: Mr. Rogers, like Jesus, Mohammad, Buddha, among others, didn't specify that only certain people deserve kindness, nor that only people who believed or spoke in the right way could receive love and exist as humans.

He, and they, taught that ALL people deserve love, kindness, respect, and compassion-- just because they are people.

We've forgotten that humans are allowed to make mistakes. We've taken on hating difference instead of being curious about others. We've decided that humanity is inherently hateful even when we know that hate is a learned skill. We've forgotten how to listen and learn, even when the listening makes us uncomfortable.

In short, we've forgotten the human part of humanity and tolerated those who are intolerant. We've forgotten ourselves, and I pray all the time that we'll find our humanity again.

Updates

Season 1 of The Spencerverse is now complete! Season 2 will come out, I hope, sometime in early 2027.

If you haven't started listening to Control yet, what are you waiting for? I'm also reading the episodes every Tuesday on Twitch at around 3 pm Ireland time, so if you'd like to join me there, please stop by! The edited episodes come out every Tuesday morning.

I'll be recording and posting my spicy/erotic paranormal fantasy novel "The White Queen" soon! It will only be available here, on my site, as most other podcatchers will more than likely not allow it. I'll have more information as the first episodes become ready.

I don't ask this very often, but if you can, please share my work with others who you think might be interested! As an indie author, it's always hard to get my work out to folks, and it's really awesome to hear things like, "OH, I was recommended your story by X!" Honestly, do all your indie authors a favor and share the work you like! We really do appreciate it!

Hope you had a blessed Equinox, and I'm so happy for Autumn to be here!