It was Mister Rogers' mother who told him to look for the helpers ... you will always find people who are helping, she said. In today's political and social climate, I think that many of us are left searching for the helpers. With so much division and intolerance, many of us are looking backward to those who taught us a thing or two about kindness and inclusion. During my youth, one such person was Bob Ross.In recent years, figures like Bob Ross have taken on a certain pop-cultural lore. He has found himself entered into the pantheon of Chia Pets and onto T-shirts once reserved for our rock-n-roll idols. Living in an era where there is so much hatred and fear, people are seeking out symbols of what he represented. Bob was a helper and still is a helper. He taught us how to love our neighbors, respect mother nature, and to care deeply about every living thing. And here we find ourselves years later wistfully searching for such people to lead us out of the mess we've gotten ourselves into. Bob was a gentle soul and a genuine teacher who taught us so much more than how to paint. And like many of you, I miss those days. And I'm looking. I'm looking for the helpers. And I'm thankful that Bob is still with us in many ways.Painting Myself the Color of Bob Ross has no intentions of being an authoritative text about Bob's life. It is in no way meant to be biographical. It is simply a collection of poems I wrote upon which I try to see our modern times through the eyes of Bob. I simply want to be a helper. I want to be a bright spot in my neighbor's lives in these dark days. For my professional work, I teach teenagers how to write. And I remind my students often - I want to teach like Bob and even the likes of Mister Rogers. I want to be kind and I want to calm their fears as they approach the possibilities of creation. The world needs more kindness and understanding. And Bob understood this.Most of my poems have titles that are rooted in one of Bob's funny little aphorisms. In doing so, I tussle with the curious possibilities of Bob reflecting upon our present circumstances. How would he view our world? How would he help us out? I bet that he would continue to teach us how to view our world with wide open eyes. He'd probably tell us that all we need is love. In painting myself the color of Bob Ross, I hope that I can be a helper too. Shed a little light on love. Paint a peaceful picture. Notice the trees. Give a nod to the happy little clouds. But most importantly, do something to make this place a better world for all of us. Happy painting. God bless my friend ...