The rapid development of technology in our lives has clearly affected our communication patterns. Communication can happen faster, is more portable, and we can learn about anything we want to with internet access. On the other hand, we have different preferences to how and when we are communicated with, don’t yet have agreements about how to use technology most effectively when there is stress or conflict, and we often hear only part of stories that are presented as whole stories, among others. Receiving “news” from any outlet is through their lens, and often aggregates reality into sound bites or summaries that do not capture the whole story of our humanity.

I found some antidotes courtesy of Mister Rogers, thanks to his recent movie and some research I’ve done into his messages. Here are some of them.

·         People can love us even when we’re not perfect. Everyone has flaws and we don’t need to assume that finding out about them diminishes them.

·         Our thoughts, and our feelings, the way we treat other people, the way we love one another - that’s what matters much more than what we look like. What we see on Facebook is not everything.

·         It’s not so much what we have in this life that matters. It’s what we do with what we have. In a capitalist system, striving for more stuff does not necessarily make us more “successful”.

·         The best way to be happy is to be helping somebody else. In every disaster, we notice helpers – people who show up to make things better for the people affected.

·         When you’re wondering you’re learning. Posting opinions and hearing “news” often involves statements that sound “finished”. What do we wonder about and how can we be curious together?

When I remember these things, it puts the things I see and read into perspective. I wish you the same.