(Here is a comment from our trusty South American Bureau Chief. The idea has surfaced recently that what we are doing here at the blog is running a Mr Rogers’ type neighborhood for, yes, Caminoheads. So, here she is giving us her take on the situation. I love this. She deserves a raise. )
Querido Felipe,
Yes, where is your cardigan???!!! I read something about Mr Rogers (actually about the movie), and i thought: wait! Phil and “us” are doing the same in Caminoheads!!! So yes, this is a neighborhood, we cross our paths walking, we get to chat (via the comments or mails or Skype calls), and then we get the salon, it is like the kitchens in the neighborhood houses where we meet for a coffee or a drink and we have our debates… or maybe like the nights in the albergues, in the comunal meals or the noisy restaurants that had pilgrims menues… there the talks just happened and we had revelations!
How good it will be if we could all get back to the neighborhood idea? Wouldn’t it? And by the way, I didn’t watch Mr Rogers ever… it was not aired here, but I listened to Yo Yo Ma saying that the thing he was most proud of was having appeared in Mr Rogers and then, I looked up who he was… truly I would have been very proud to be one of his kids!
Neighbor love and pilgrims love,
Cris
(Yes, where is my cardigan? We are learning to treat each other like we learned on the Camino. Once you get that it doesn’t go away. Alperfect as usual, Mr Felipe.)
One of my greatest moments of life was meeting Mr. Rogers and telling him I’ve loved him since childhood. Can I be the trolley driver that takes us to the Land of Make Believe? Or Fun Town!
Esther ~ we need to hear how you got to meet the Man! I didn’t know that we needed a trolley driver but if we do find a trolley that we can afford you will be the driver, for sure. Is there a special outfit? Felipe.x
Yes, it’s just like that. Tonight I am in Padron and tomorrow will walk into Santiago for the third time. Along the way, I’ve met and befriended or been adopted by 3 or 4 couples or groups and we’ve shared stories, laughed and sympathized, settled the world’s problems …. it never gets old.
Camino loves,
Mary
Love to hear from you MM! I have to quote you on “it never gets old”. Congratulations on your third time. We will have to drink to that! Felipe.x
Yes, I totally agree this notion. It is like a Mr. Roger’s kind of neighborhood thing. You are a lot like Mr. Roger’s. My husband, Kelly and our 4 kids used to watch Mr. Rogers before he got them off to school. He has a great tee shirt about being in the neighborhood. Might be worth going to see the movie/documentary currently out about him. That is what she is talking about I think. NPR did a segment interviewing Yo Yo Ma’s son about when he was on there and then the subsequent documentary.
A great man with the right kind of disposition and positive mental attitude about the world. A lot like our Felipe!
Carol,
I listened to YoYo Ma talking with Krista Tipet in a conversation from the show On Being. What he said about Mr Rogers was wonderful, and he said here that being in his show was the thing he was most proud of. (And many more thoughtful and reflective things were said, YoYo Ma is one of my heroes! )
Kindly
Cris
Carol ~ thank you dear. Being on the same planet as Mr Rogers is an honor for me. It was great to see you again. Thanks for driving all that way. Felipe.x
Gracias Felipe!!!
But you know how this is… we are just pilgrims, and as you said, once a pilgrim, it is difficult not to wish that our daily life is like the life in the Camino. Mr Rogers neighborhood, the little I watched and the insight given by YoYo Ma, is very much that: a place where we all can live like in the Camino. We can make it! Actually we are doing that already!
Pope Francis styles love,
Cris
Cris ~ it is all fascinating, the whole thing! How did we get so lucky! Felipe.x
Oh, there is a special outfit I wear. I’ll show you later.
I met Mr. Rogers at the National Association for the Education of Young Children conference several years ago. I got to hug him and he was just as genuine and kind and present as he was every day I watched him on television as a child. I love him so much. And lots of alperfect love to you and all with you! Buen Camino!