As we bring in a new year, it’s only natural to hope the coming one is better than the last. It’s also only natural to lose a bit of that hope when we see, hear, and experience various hardships.
And so Ivanka Trump is encouraging us to remain hopeful despite the bad.
How?
Well, she offers the advice of Mr. Rogers. Yes, that Mr. Rogers, the beloved host of television’s “Mister Roger’s Neighborhood” and Presbyterian minister Fred McFeely Rogers.
On the Thursday before New Year’s, Trump posted on her X account, “As we approach the new year, let’s carry the timeless wisdom of Mr Rogers with us.”
“In these challenging times, always look for the helpers. Their presence is a beacon of hope and humanity. Their courage and kindness light the way forward.”
Then she added, “Wishing you all joy, love and hope.”
As we approach the new year, let's carry the timeless wisdom of Mr Rogers with us:
In these challenging times, always look for the helpers. Their presence is a beacon of hope and humanity. Their courage and kindness light the way forward.
Wishing you all joy, love and hope… pic.twitter.com/fuNYA5vuRZ
— Ivanka Trump (@IvankaTrump) December 28, 2023
The post naturally has been questioned. Why would she be offering hope and encouragement at this moment?
Many assume it must have to do with her father’s many issues, such as the ongoing presidential race or his many court cases.
However, based on a few other recent posts from the Trump daughter, it’s more likely that she is more specifically offering hope to the many Jews facing discrimination and even death these days.
If you weren’t aware, her husband, Jared Kushner, is Jewish. As such, the couple recently traveled to Israel, where they undoubtedly witnessed the many horrors both the Jewish people and those living in Gaza and the entire Middle East are facing.
As such, it’s easy to imagine her offering hope to those she saw struggling to exist, let alone meek out a living.
As for the Mr. Rogers quote, it’s a fairly well-known one. He often spoke of similar advice, claiming that it originally came from his mother.
“You know, my mother used to say, a long time ago, whenever there would be any (real) catastrophe that would be in the movies or on the air, she would say: ‘Always look for the helpers. There will always be helpers, you know, just on the sidelines.”
And those helpers should indeed give us hope.
