the kind of Dr. I'd like to meet.

a guy with a home and family, just changin' the world...

As I actively thought of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. today, a few quotes and speeches came to my head. I wanted to pick just one to highlight but as the day went on, I realized, there are simply too many that strike me to choose just one.

I honor the Dr. today. In fact, I honor him a lot of days. I have always been silently drawn to not only his words but how he said them; his commitment to the service of others, the embodiment of his mission for change, his passionate demeanor, his courageous spirit, the inspiration he must have exuded.
How he stood in the face of hatred not afraid to fight hard. And how he did it with the constant reminder that we are here to serve. That we are here for each other, to honor that responsibility and to care for others as our true and righteous mission during our time here in life.

He helped lead a revolution, something that does not come to the faint-hearted. He spoke words as if they were fire. And those words, to this day, drive people from complacency to action.

Complacency is something of which I think our culture and society has done quite well at cultivating in the last 30-odd years. It is a problem bigger than I know how to combat, I weep at the idea of our complacent nature as Americans. Back then, it was the color of a person's skin. Today it is sexual orientation, class warfare, corporations and big power vs. a shrinking middle class, females in the workplace, bullies on the playground, religious organization and belief, this country vs. that country, money / power, and so on... The point is, we face injustices each and every day on many levels. The planet is dying, the government is increasingly more corrupt and (terrifyingly) powerful, the numbers of sick and poor and orphaned are growing by the minute, our food is being poisoned, our healthcare system is whack... shall I go on?... and all the while people care what Snookie's baby looks like more than what's going on in their direct world. Injustices being ignored left and right for the sake of looking cool. I have learned the hard way that if you 'care too much' you will quickly lose friends and be ridiculed. I don't believe I am as strong as Dr. King, I wish I could say I embodied even a third of the courage he possessed, but I do know that he fought a righteous and true fight. And he fought for it at all costs. And that that can serve as my inspiration to be a better person each day, to stand in the face of injustice and to fight for the things I believe in. And to do it with love. 

Dr. King was not the only leader to commit such inspirational acts or speak such poignant words. But he did so with a fever that no one can deny was contagious. Even when you listen to the old recordings, you can feel it. His words ignite something in the heart. Throughout my years of being an 'activist' in some form or another, the Dr. has continued to stand as a steady example of justice, service, honor, love, courage and solidarity. He has helped me believe, that on some level, I can make my world better. I can make a difference and I can do it with passionate love. I can serve my fellow humans and I can do it justly. I can make a difference. 

Here are few of my favorite things he reminds me:
"Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'what are you doing for others?'" 

"Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals."

"Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve. You don't have to have a college degree to serve. You don't have to make you subject and verb agree to serve. You only need a heart full of grace. A soul generated by love." 

"Every man must decided whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness." 

There is a great book, one of the first I read about him (outside of school, of course) called A Call to Conscience that I would recommend for anyone wanting to read his fiery words for themselves. It's a collection of his landmark speeches, each one accompanied by a introduction of the current relevance of his words or what it felt like to be in his presence the day he gave the speech!

Thank you for being a Changer, Dr. King.