Fred Rogers

"The world needs people who are awake and aware, who ask difficult questions and aren't satisfied with easy answers."

"I think we parents have to make a very conscious effort to help our children understand that their bodies are special and that they should feel comfortable and good about themselves."

"In this world, there is no such thing as a bad person. There are only people expressing themselves in ways that sometimes hurt others."

"One of the greatest dignities of humankind is the ability to recognize the worth in other people."

"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."

"I have always felt it was important to try to be authentic in everything I do because children can detect phoniness very easily."

"The child is naturally drawn to beauty and goodness. Our job is to foster those natural inclinations without forcing them."

"There are three ways to ultimate success: The first way is to be kind. The second way is to be kind. The third way is to be kind."

"I won't last forever, and neither will you. But the things we do with our lives can last forever."

"We live in such a hurried world that we often leave little time for people. But people are what life is all about."

"Understanding is a prerequisite for loving. Everything that is human is mentionable, and everything that is mentionable can be more manageable."

"Real strength has to do with helping others, not with hurting them or taking things away from them."

"We cannot direct the wind, but we can adjust our sails."

"I believe the American family is strong in their values and morality, and I believe that children deserve to have parents who care deeply about their development."

"The most important thing we can do is to help people understand their own value and their own importance in the world."

"When we treat children's play as seriously as it deserves, we are helping them feel the joy and wonder of discovery."

"I'm interested in the part of human development where children learn to become themselves and to respect the selves of others."

"The connections we make in the course of a life—maybe that's what we're actually made for."

"I believe that whatever we discover about ourselves and our world is something that can help us live more fully."

"You know, I don't think anyone has ever won a friendship by force or by threat or by faking it."

"It's very important that we pay attention to the differences among us because those differences are the key to understanding one another."

"My life has been enriched by people who pushed me to be better than I thought I could be."

"I have often been struck by how much more teachers have to give when they really, deeply care about their students."

"The greatest thing we can do is to help people see the connections between what they do and the world around them."

"I believe in the power of neighborhoods, real human connections, the ability to make a difference in your own community."

"Our task is to recognize that the world is alive with possibilities and that every person we meet has the potential for growth."

"I think feelings are really important. They're what make us human. And when children learn to identify and talk about their feelings, they're on their way to emotional health."

"There are many ways to say I love you. Sometimes it's just looking at someone and listening deeply to what they're trying to tell you."

"What is essential is invisible to the eye. We need to look beyond the surface to see the true worth in others."

"I have learned that growing older is like climbing a mountain. The higher you go, the more tired and breathless you become, but the view becomes far more extensive."