Jul 18 • General discussion
Being present for one another
Robin and Fred were both guests one day on Johnny Carson.
Robin began by improvising a comedy riff. After 5 or 6 minutes, he picked up on the theme of childhood loneliness (something he had lived through), and he lost all his momentum and stopped. A few moments of silence after six minutes of velocity.
He brought his hands to his face and walked to the edge of the stage.
Fred immediately got up and joined him, gently held Robin's hand, offered presence. (Childhood loneliness had also been a part of his life.)
A minute later they returned to their seats. Robin spoke briefly about the experience. Fred may have joined in a bit. And in future years occasionally shared about that moment. Always as a new, novel experience for him in some ways.
Fred had reassured him that he didn't have to perform, didn't have to do anything, could simply allow the remnants of his childhood to be.
Many phone calls came in to Johnny's show over the next 24 hours, sometimes people saying they were in tears as they watched.
Would you like to contemplate this for a minute or two? To find inspiration to give yourself more space for your feelings and experience. To find inspiration to be present for those when they need it. Maybe to reflect on people who have been like Fred Rogers for you.
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Being present for one another
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