Barney Fife is quite a man

barney fife don knotts photo

I enjoy watching the B&W episodes of The Andy Griffith Show. The more I watch, the more I admire Barney Fife.

It is true, Barney has some things that make him silly and easy to poke fun at. He is sensitive, overzealous at times, and generally not very coordinated or skillful in almost everything. That doesn’t make him less of a role model.

Why is Barney a role model? For several reasons.

  1. He unselfishly gives to the welfare of his community by being ready to keep them safe at all times. To say that he takes his job seriously would be an understatement. We repeatedly see Barney do what others wouldn’t to protect those in his community. One time he was walking over to a date and he was asked to be a deputy and he didn’t hesitate for a minute.
  2. He is creative. We have seen Barney write poems to Juanita, compose a song, sing in the choir, and do many creative things. Also lots of great catchphrases like “Nip it in the bud.”
  3. He is humble. He lives in a one-bedroom room he rents even though he could live with his mom. He lives within his means and we don’t see him buying things that are flashy to try to get others to respect him. For him, just being a deputy is enough.
  4. He is loved and respected by those he serves. What police person has someone pray for him like we saw Opie do? When it seemed that he was going to be fired the town came together to support him.
  5. He has no problem getting a girlfriend but isn’t a playboy. He isn’t a playboy and is loyal to the person that he loves.
  6. He is constantly trying to improve himself. He studied Judo to be a better deputy and reads to learn and to be a responsible adult. He invested in an opportunity that was legit and helped to grow his savings.
  7. He doesn’t buy something until he needs it. He was an adult before he considered buying his first car and not because he felt societal pressure to buy one. He consumes based on what he needs rather than what others have.
  8. He doesn’t complain unless he has valid point. He is a positive person and expects the best from others. He gives the best of himself, even when he isn’t very good at it. That is all anyone can ever do.
  9. He upholds the standards of the law even better than the sheriff does. He brings professionalism to Mayberry and without him, law enforcement is laughable and without teeth. He wasn’t afraid to put friends and even the mayor in jail for minor crimes and didn’t think of his own position or how it would affect him.
  10. He supports women’s causes and cares about the well-being and fairness of others. He encourages others to be their best self and supports them on their journey.
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I would love for someone who is a friend to have these qualities. Wouldn’t you?