"When I was a boy and I would see scary things
in the news, my mother would say to me, 'Look for the helpers. You will always
find people who are helping.' To this day, especially in times of 'disaster,' I
remember my mother’s words, and I am always comforted by realizing that there
are still so many helpers - so many caring people in this world." --
Mister Rogers
Whether the need is enormous or tiny, the
majority of us want to help.
Decades ago, shortly after my mother had a stroke,
my family traveled to California to visit her. Mom was confined to a wheelchair
and lived in a house with many stairs, so as an antidote to cabin fever, she
asked me to take her to the grocery store. I remember crossing the parking lot
while holding Jeremy in his infant car seat under one arm and pushing the
wheelchair with my other hand. Sam (age
3) helped steer the wheelchair. People actually ran across the parking lot to
offer assistance.
In times like these of horror and sadness, I have to
believe that most people want to be a positive force.
Here is a link to Kris Remenar's post about When the Moon Came Down on Milk Street by Jean Gralley. This book was inspired by Fred Rogers' quote.
