SPIRITUAL focus on books December 15, 2003 Issue

A visit with Fred Rogers

By Kim Shippey Senior Writer

Television Viewers Of All Ages who in February of this year honored the passing of entertainer Fred Rogers will love a little book of his sayings, The World According to Mister Rogers.

"I keep the book with me all the time," said Joanne Rogers, his wife of more than 50 years, in a Sentinel interview. "It's dog-eared and full of paperclips. It's just like a visit with him.

"This is my favorite," said Joanne without a moment's hesitation, reading aloud to me over the phone: "'In the external scheme of things, shining moments are as brief as the twinkling of an eye, yet such twinklings are what eternity is made of—moments when we human beings can say, "I love you," "I'm proud of you," "I forgive you," "I'm grateful for you." That's what eternity is made of: invisible, imperishable, good stuff.' Whenever I read that last sentence," said Joanne, "I can still hear his voice. The 'good stuff is so like him."

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