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On the morning of Thanksgiving in 2019, my family and I watched “Won’t you
be my neighbor?” It’s a documentary about Fred Rogers, the creator and star of
Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood on PBS. On Thanksgiving afternoon, I went
to the movie “It’s a beautiful day in the neighborhood.” Tom Hanks plays the
part of Fred Rogers.
Both movies were very good. One of the most powerful scenes
in the feature film has Mr. Rogers in a restaurant with a writer named Lloyd
Vogel. (In real life, the name of the journalist was Tom Junod, who wrote an
article about Mr. Rogers for Esquire.) In that scene, Mr. Rogers asks Mr. Vogel
to think about all the people who helped to make him what he was.
As the camera pans around the restaurant, some of the faces are familiar. In fact, several of the people who were interviewed for the documentary appeared in the restaurant scene. For example, Mrs. Rogers and the actor who played Mr. McFeely on the television show were in that scene.
Whenever a film is made about a real person or about something
that actually happened, one has to wonder how accurate the movie was. Parts of
the feature film about Mr. Rogers are made up, including the restaurant scene. However,
in real life there was an event where Mr. Rogers very publicly encouraged
people to be thankful for the people who had helped them in their lives.
In 1997, Mr. Rogers was presented with a Lifetime
Achievement Award at The Academy Awards. In his short speech, he asked members
of the audience to think for ten seconds about all the people in their lives
who had helped them in some way. As the camera panned around the room, some
audience members wept. Ten seconds of
sincere gratitude can affect a person that way.
This is the time of year when people make plans for the
coming year and formulate their New Year’s Resolutions. Giving thanks can be
just as powerful as making a New Year’s resolution. Naturally, the list of
people to be thankful for includes friends and family members. For people in
business, it can also include the clients and customers who have contributed to
one’s success. Thanks can also be given for the mentors and advisors who have
been helpful.
Like Mr. Rogers, I believe there’s something very powerful
about being thankful. Being habitually and intentionally thankful can have a
very positive impact on one’s life and on one's business. My morning routine includes making a list
of three things I am thankful for. I encourage others to make thankfulness part
of their routines as well.
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