I started my day in Pittsburgh with a walk to the Fred Rogers Memorial statue. It was a 27 minute trek that took me through Point State Park and across the Fort Duquesne Bridge. The 36-acre park features the confluence of three rivers: the Allegheny, Monongahela, and Ohio. Within the park is the Fort Pitt Block House, a historic structure built in 1764 as a military defensive redoubt. It is older than the United States and in remarkable shape with sturdy timbers and masonry. Terrified of heights but determined to reach the statue, I swiftly crossed the Fort Duquesne Bridge. Remarkably, it’s one of Steel City’s 446 bridges. The Western Pennsylvania city has the most bridges in the World. I stopped long enough to quickly snap a photo of the busy waterway filled with boats and kayaks below.
It was a beautiful, hot summer day. I was overheated by the time I reached the massive, bronze memorial built in 2009 for Fred Rogers. I have a penchant for dressing poorly for the outdoors. I sat in a black shirt and pants with my back against the shaded concrete thinking about Mr. Roger’s legacy of neighborliness and caring. He was a gentle soul that helped children understand their needs so they could reach their fullest potential. In an increasingly tumultuous world, these are things we, as adults, should continue to practice.