This last week was filled with many gifts.
Two gifts came courtesy of NPR through the Diane Rehm Show. Her final show was powerful for her continued commitment to respectful dialogue and her openness to the opinions of others. She exemplified civil discourse, and has always been an able practitioner of what Buddhists call the Fourth Precept: Deep Listening and Loving Speech. In her final sign off from the daily broadcast (I’ve already enrolled in her new podcast format) she asked the audience(three million+) to “truly listen to each other.”
As a lasting gift for those who have tuned in for 37 years, or those who only heard her last show, she curated a week of recordings of her favorite broadcasts.
Today we got to listen to a 14 year old re-broadcast of Ms. Rehm interviewing Mr. Rogers who offered wise counsel to parents, families, and people in general to: “live by the values of kindness, caring, and gentleness toward others.”
In the dialogue between Ms. Rehm and Mr. Rogers they chuckled at being the two slowest talkers in broadcast media. Mr. Rogers wisely asked “Don’t you think we need some slowness?” How true at this moment in time.
These two citizens earned the respect, and the trust of people all over the world through their commitment to listening with their all; to meeting people in the moment; and for their shared belief in our obligation to the well being of others.
Mr. Rogers (who moved on to what is next two months after the interview) continues to be mentioned as one of the people most trusted by generation X and Y.
In the days and months ahead I hope to stay centered, not by being a warrior, but by channeling the courage and integrity of Ms. Rehm, and living out Mr. Rogers’ belief: “What we imagine can be made possible through kindness.”
