Thank you, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
I woke up this morning thinking about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and what he stood for… equality, compassion, taking a stand. He was fearless. And, nothing was going to stand in his way of shouting the TRUTH from the mountain tops. What he gave to all of us was the most precious gift. The gift of a role model who would endure the test of time. He changed our culture, how we saw each other and how we behaved toward one another. And, he did so in a way that gave back… after all, he gave the most precious resource he had. He gave his life.
What do you stand for? How do you give your gifts to the world?
I’ve been life coaching now for almost six years and can only dream of inspiring so many with such a profound message. I can only hope to touch as many lives, to change a culture… change a world. For me to do so, requires that I learn from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. No, it’s not likely that I will meet up with the type of resistence that he did. It’s not likely that I will be faced with giving my life for my cause. And, I won’t dare to place myself even at the base of the pedestal that I put him on.
The lessons that he holds for me are about fearlessness, never giving up, staying true to who I am and the very reason I was placed on this planet. To allow my voice to bellow to the crowds even when I’m afraid to do so. To hold true to my personal values even at the risk of rejection. To forgive those who have wronged me. And to love unconditionally.
For me, one of the greatest gifts in life is when I realize how much I inspire others. This gift is given to me each time I see the twinkle of an aha! in a client’s eye. Or, I receive a thank you note from a client who graduated years ago. These gifts keep me going. It’s not so much about receiving money to do what I do, even though money pays the bills. It’s about touching the lives of women globally who have fear that holds them back.
Sending positive energy into the world can be so simple. And, only good can come from that.
How can you give to yourself by giving back to others?
What do you stand for?
And, how can we collectively give thanks to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. by honoring his legacy, loving one another and embracing equality world wide?
Comment on this question:
What are you willing to take a stand for?
In life we have to inspire others so that they will also inspire other people. Thanks for sharing this post. Very helpful.
And, you’re doing a great job with this Matthew.
I’m really enjoying your blog too!
Together, we really can make a difference.
A powerful message from an inspirational human being.
A grand reminder as well..
I never finished reading this blog until today… probably just when I needed it…
When my daughter was a junior in high school, she woke up on her MLK day off of school and wrote her own I had a dream message.. It was amazing to me… Would love to share it with you sometime.
I hope that your having a peaceful, relaxing and joyful weekend.
Much love
Dianne
Your daughter sounds amazing.
This doesn’t surprise me.
Would love to read her “I have a dream” message…
Susan
Thanks for letting me share this here Susan. Like I said she was a junior in high school on her day off and just wrote this. She is a sophomore in college now, actually studying this semester at the University of Paris…
Here ya go, enjoy!
I have a dream that all my friends will be my friends in twenty years.
I have a dream that one day, this world will be a peaceful one.
I have a dream that in this world, people will not be judged by what they wear, who they hang out with, what race they are, what religion they practice, how much money they have, what gender their first love is, what accent they have, and instead on their character as a person and how large their heart is.
I have a dream that people will stop saying snide comments about others behind their backs for no good reason at all.
I have a dream that the HIV/AIDS epidemic will be put to a stop.
I have a dream that if we can fix the hole in the O-Zone, we can certainly stop, or at least slow down, global warming.
I have a dream that the war in Iraq will end with peace and good friendship.
I have a dream that poverty can be put to an end if people could just rally together.
I have a dream that people will recognize today, MLK day, as not just a day off of school, but a day to realize that even if we come from different places or think different things, our hearts beat as one.
I have a dream that power and money will be geared towards the greater good.
I have a dream that love will keep us together.
I have a dream that we as a global community will realize that this earth is a delicate thing that can only maintain homeostasis and give us as humans the things we need if we treat it with respect and care.
I have a dream that humans will recognize that importance of other animals and cease to believe that we matter more than other species.
I have a dream that these dreams will be shared with generations to come.
I have a dream that no one will EVER be afraid to dream.
-nik
PS her name is Nicole but a few of us call her Nik… I’m a bit of a proud Mama
OMG… the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.
You are raising an amazing WOMAN here…
I’ve got a feeling we’re going to be seeing great things from her someday.
Thanks Susan,
I was definitely blessed with a great kid!
And, I do believe that she will indeed do some great things…
You know, but I’m a whee bit biased
Inspiring post(s) you have here. Have you heard Miri Ben-Ari featuring Dr. Martin Luther King – Symphony of brotherhood? I find it to be a very inspirational song.
Wow!
No, I hadn’t heard of this before and it’s great.
Here is the YouTube link to find the video everyone: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfz1hJZPsxM
Thanks so much, Amanda.
Susan
Thanks for sharing links Amanda and Susan.
Just watched the You tube video… It was great!