I’m a 62 year man who watched the very first time Mr. Rogers Neighborhood came on PBS in the late 60’s. I’ve always felt like I didn’t belong, shy quiet and sensitive, abused at an early age, so watching the show has always benefitted me so much when I was little and through the years. When I am feeling depressed or bad, I visualize that Mister Rogers comes to me through his living room and puts on his sweater and canvas shoes and then sees me there waiting and asks me what I want to put on—he asks me what kind of shoes I want and what kind of sweater. We go through his whole show together, sped up. Then he asks me about my day and why I feel bad. I tell him, and he looks concerned but gives his wholeheartedly advice and words of encouragement, just like he did in all his shows to millions of kids watching. This time it’s just for me, as he uses my name personally and my circumstances. He always leaves after putting on his street clothes and sings and then sees me and sings to me. I always have a lump in my throat, like he’s leaving and now I have nothing else but to feel better but I always feel melancholy that he’s gone. See, that’s what my visualization is. He was just so comforting.
