What do you want to leave behind?
What do you want people to remember about you? What do you want your last conversation with someone to be? What if you only have one impression to make?
I’ve learned to pounce onto feelings. At the library a small little assuming read book draws me in. I grab it, add it to my stack, check out, and read it in one night. The book? Sayings by Mister Rogers. I vaguely remember clips of his show from my childhood, but I really knew nothing about him. After reading the first line I realize he was a genius. I could write a whole week’s worth of posts from the tiny book.
There is something of yourself that you leave at every meeting with another person.
Understand the introduction now? So this made me think. If I’m always leaving a part of myself, what do I want to leave behind. A smile. Light. Laughter. Happiness. Empowerment. Radiance. Positive energy. A gift, that lights up. That you remember. I know what I don’t want to leave behind: bitterness, anger, impatience, a frown, negative energy.
So keep in mind what Mister Rogers says when interacting. You are about to leave part of you behind, which part will you leave?
Related articles
- Wisdom from Mister Rogers – “Look for the Helpers” (confidentparentsconfidentkids.org)
- 20 Gentle Quotations from Mister Rogers (mentalfloss.com)
One of his songs was “I like to take my time, I like to take my time, I like to take my time and do it right”. There is so much there for the adult world to learn from him. I listened to and sometimes watched the show with my kids. This really shows my age.
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