Remember when the days were long
And rolled beneath a deep blue sky
Didn’t have a care in the world
With mommy and daddy standing by…This is the end of the innocence.–Don Henley
In the 16 years following the passing of Fred Rogers, we have seen our country fall into the pits of fear and loathing, the world has gotten louder and louder, and mass communication seems–at best–a weapon. Every year I mourn the passing of a quiet hero. A hero who spoke softly and slowly, but could best even the most ardent critics with his grace and his authentic love for humanity. A hero to at least three generations of children. A hero who maintained his humility and taught a nation how to care.
There may never be another Mr. Rogers, but we could sure use one right about now. Until then, I’ll keep his memory alive and do my best to live according to his example.
The following clippings are from the February 28 edition of the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, posted here for archival purposes. If anyone at The Paper wants me to take it down, that’s fair–but y’all gotta put it back up on your site.
Download the clipping in PDF format
