Fred Rogers will forever go down as one of the most extraordinary human beings that ever lived.
I’m 38 years old…a child of the 80’s and it’s rare I’ve ever come across someone who hasn’t heard of Mr. Rogers. Or who didn’t grow up watching Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood.
The way he captured his audience with a genuine sense of love and care was uncanny. The conversations he cultivated with his young viewers were incredible.
Countless documentaries and most recently, an incredible movie depicting his impact starring Tom Hanks was released. While I haven’t seen the movie yet, I caught a really interesting quote from the movie. I wondered if it actually came from Fred Rogers. Turns out that it did:
“Anything that’s human is mentionable, and anything that is mentionable can be more manageable. When we can talk about our feelings, they become less overwhelming, less upsetting, and less scary. The people we trust with that important talk can help us know that we are not alone.”
BOOM! Where do you even begin with such wisdom? “Anything that’s human is mentionable, and anything that is mentionable can be more manageable.“
I don’t know if he knew how significant those words could be to so many people stuck in lifestyles of pain and brokenness. In addiction recovery, we’re learning how to become whole again. How to heal. How to find the “whys” behind our compulsive behaviors.
Only in doing so will we ever find substantial long-term success.
But until we allow those things to see the light of day, we will be confined to our own secrets and shame. In his own way, I think Mr. Rogers knew this truth.
All of us, from the time we were born, we’re broken in some way. We were born with a sinful nature. In need of rescue and redemption.
The more we allow others to see inside of us, the more we talk about hard feelings, triggering emotions, the less power our addictions have over us.
The last part of his quote is huge: “The people we trust with that important talk can help us know that we are not alone.”
Again…BOOM. So simple yet so profound.
In order for shame to leave us, we have to choose to KNOW people and be KNOWN by people. That is the starting place for transformation. For healing. For recovery.
Fred Rogers totally hit the nail on the head. Thanks, Mr. Rogers.
Perhaps you’re wondering how you can start your journey to freedom from a compulsive sexual addiction. Perhaps you feel it has pretty much owned your life.
I work for an online organization called Small Groups Online, which offers weekly online support groups through Zoom, making it incredibly easy to meet others who share the same or a similar story as you. Picking the right group and time for you is also easy.
Trust me, you will NEVER regret finding community for the struggles you face. You can’t afford to live without it!
Remember: Anything that is mentionable is more manageable.
Please help us continue to be a resource for men, women, and their families. A place people can turn to in their pursuit of accountability and authentic relationships.