This year I am trying to be more like Hello Kitty. The adorable Sanrio character has been bringing children and adults together since the 1970s under her message of universal friendship and joy. Her bio on the Sanrio website reads “Hello Kitty was born in the suburbs of London. She lives with her parents and her twin sister Mimmy who is her best friend. Her hobbies include baking cookies and making new friends. As she always says, ‘You can never have too many friends.’”
Reading this recently, I thought about how long it had been since someone told me something like “You can never have too many friends.” As a college student, it had been so long since I led with that kind of loving openness, to the point where it made me pause and think. In so many ways, Hello Kitty reminds me of the beauty of girlhood. And as I get older, I find myself wanting to lead with that kindness for others and myself once again.
And this is only one of the many life lessons Hello Kitty has to offer: In an interview with the BBC, Sanrio’s public relations manager spoke about Hello Kitty’s unique emotional messaging. “Kitty’s appeal is that she’s an emotional blank slate […] Kitty feels like you do.” He went on to explain, “Hello Kitty represents the deep desire among all people regardless of nationality or race, to feel joy and happiness, without having to qualify it at any deep intellectual level.”
As someone who has struggled through multiple philosophy classes, I did not expect to find the answer to so many problems in a cat. Especially the part about not feeling obligated to qualify your happiness, which honestly feels so much more meaningful than any of the Plato readings or countless lectures. Something I’ve struggled more and more with as I’ve grown up is giving myself the time to be happy and not feel guilty for taking up space. This quote reminds me that happiness does not need to be earned by anyone and that the pursuit of it is not something that needs to be justified.
When looking for role models, we often look forward to who we hope to become. However, Hello Kitty demonstrates the value of looking back as well. As a college student, thinking about Hello Kitty’s ideals encourages me to go back to my inner child, back to a time when I loved baking cookies and was always looking for new friends. I encourage you to consider your inner child in the same way. While we are not children anymore, there is still so much truth in revisiting what sparked joy back then.
For us adults, Hello Kitty can inspire some real life-changing reflection. After all, she is a true philosopher and a role model that every college girl needs.