Some of you (in the U.S.) have the day off today. For it is Martin Luther King Jr. Dry. And there's no way I could blog about anything else on this day..
Every year I have a personal tradition. I personally honor this day with self-education and reflection of MLK Jr.'s work. I started this several years ago...I was working for a company that honored the day and let their employees have the day off. And because I had the day off...For his day...I wanted to celebrate by learning more about his life. So each year since, I have taken time to recognize a man that forever changed the world because he had a dream.
My celebration of MLK Day starts off with me reading something that he has written, or a speech of his...And always ends with me looking up a bunch of his quotes.
I wanted to share some of his quotes with you. And reflect on what they mean to me.
Please keep in mind that my viewpoints of his quotes are shared by me and me alone.
**Side Note: I LOVE QUOTES. Seriously, I love them. They are therapeutic. I keep a running list of quotes...and when I'm having a rough day...I pull the list out. MLK is all up on my list.
Favorite Martin Luther King Jr. Quotes and My Personal Reflection:
"I've seen the promised land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight that we, as a people, will get to the promised land."
This quote gives me inspiration. He had faith in something they he knew he might never see. To me this means that I need to work and try to make the world a better place...even if I myself will never see the results of those efforts. The things I do today will be beneficial to my children and to my children's children. I don't know my children's children...and I may never meet them...but I know I want the best for them.
"At the center of non-violence stands the principle of love."
I'm a big fan of non-violence. I think we all are. There's no harm that can come from hugging it out.
"In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends."
In the end, I will remember what I DIDN'T say...not what I DID say. I try to live my life so that I don't regret not saying something I should have. This is hard sometimes. Especially when I know that my beliefs sometimes aren't shared by everyone. Whenever I say something that I know is not going to be well received...I take a deep breath...and go for it. I tell myself, "Someone else is probably thinking the same thing, they just aren't saying it...You need to say it for yourself...and for them." This may or may not be true, but it helps me to say what I feel needs to be said.
"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."
My life has been about all of the little moments. They all add up. I think life is just a series of tiny little moments. Every moment counts and everything I do or do not do counts. Sometimes this quote flashes in my mind when I see/hear something that I know isn't right. The easiest thing to do is to just let it slide and tell myself "Next time ____ happens, I'll say something." If I find myself saying "Next time...." I know I need to act on it THIS time.
"Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter."
This is probably one of my my top ten quotes ever. Said by anyone. For any reason. This quote keeps me marching the beat of my little drum. It keeps me on my path to doing what I believe needs to be done . I think my life will be over the minute I become silent about that which I care about. To be silent, is to not be passionate. And to not be passionate, is not to live.
"An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity."
Sometimes it is easy to get wrapped up in my own personal concerns. However, luckily the world does not revolve around me. Whenever I'm in the midst of a personal pity party I think of this quote.
"Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity."
Ignorance is not bliss. Ignorance is ignorance.
"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands in time of challenge and controversy."
The times in my life that have been the hardest...have also been the times that I discovered what I was made of. Turns out, I'm a lot stronger than I think. It is in those challenging times where I am tested and become a better person. I wouldn't be who I am today, if I didn't go through a couple things. The hardest times in my life have also been hard on those that I love. The true measure of love (to me), is the people that have/will stick by me through all the good times and the not so good times.
"We may have all come on different ships, but we're in the same boat now."
This quote can be used for a lot of situations. We (society) are all in the same boat. Whether we like it or not. It's probably a good idea to figure out how to collectively work together so we don't sink the ship.
"That old law about 'an eye for an eye' leaves everyone blind. The time is always right to do the right thing."
I think "an eye for an eye" is one of the most misquoted/misused passages ever. People use it to justify various things. There was a point in my life where I too didn't totally understand this quote...then I thought about it. If we took this quote literally...and started poking eyes out for what we feel is unjust...we'd all be blind. I believe the intention of this quote actually was to say that if you committed a crime against someone (example: poking out someones eye); the fine was was equivalent to the worth of the eye. It meant that you should not seek revenge and rather the fine for everyone was the same...Rich and poor...for all social classes. In no way did it justify revenge. What it was saying is that for every wrong, there is a compensating measure of justice. That compensating measure, should be no greater than the wrong itself. Basically, it was a way to encourage people to forgive and show mercy to those that have wronged them. Not to literally poke other people's eyes out. Or justify revenge.
"Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness."
When in doubt, the best thing for society is what benefits all. Not what only benefits me.
"Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase."
I love this quote. In the last couple of years, I started stepping on a staircase, so dark...that I couldn't even see the next step in front of me. Rather than let fear keep me in my tracks...I just felt my way on to the next step. I don't know what lies ahead of me as far as my future goes. But I do know, that I needed to start stepping in order to find out. So I started stepping. In the dark. I still can't see the whole staircase, but I am hoping it's there.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Forever Blogging About Things That Are Personally Important,
Miss Oakley
**Comments are Welcome & No Judgement Shall Ever be Passed.
**As with Everything I Write, Feel Free to Share. Sharing is Caring.
No comments:
Post a Comment