I was ten years old when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated. Old enough to remember, young enough to not quite understand all the implications. Over time, I have certainly come to appreciate Dr. King’s life, service, commitment, and passion for athe rights of all human beings. The MLK.gov website summarizes his message by saying he “preached about justice, empowerment, love and peace.”
What is even more impressive than what Dr. King preached, was how he lived. He did not just talk about his ideals; his every action was rooted in them. Dr. King was not all talk. He was action. Peaceful action, but definite action.
Today, I am thankful for everyday people who demonstrate these same convictions through their daily lives.
Chances are, we all know someone who, every day, stands in integrity, acts out of compassionate conviction, and lives to serve others. Most of them are not famous. They are teachers, mail carriers, and truck drivers. They are stay-at-home parents, entrepreneurs, and artists. They are white collar and blue collar; light-skinned and dark-skinned. They can be wealthy, they can be homeless. Young or old, male or female, conservative or liberal; we can all choose to stand up for the right thing.
None of us will be Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. However, we can strive to live our lives in the same way. We can choose to act with the courage of our convictions. We can lead change peacefully. We can serve. We can have a dream. We can make a difference.
We must, now.
