The Need to Remember
It’s easy to forget sometimes. It’s easy to get busy and noisy with our days until things that happened weeks ago, months ago, or years ago simply fade into the grey corners of our memories. But there are some moments so indelible to who we are as a country and as a people, that we must never forget. Today we celebrate one.
Over the last few months I’ve had the privilege to become friends with Bernice King, Martin Luther King Jr.’s daughter. We’ve talked about change and hope and what it means to grow up with a father who leads a nation through both. We’ve talked about a man who became an activist and a scholar in forty short years. We’ve talked about what it really means to have freedom and justice for all.
I’ve learned a lot from our conversations but perhaps the most important thing I’ve learned is the value of remembering. Of not letting moments from the past disappear. I’ve learned that we need to remember our heroes and teach new generations about the leaders who changed our generation.
I attended three Martin Luther King Jr. events this weekend and the more I learn, the more my respect and admiration grows. I don’t know how you’ll spend today, but I hope you’ll spend it remembering. Remembering the sacrifice and hope that a man named Martin Luther King Jr. inspired in all of us.
This post is categorized Lead and tagged Lead, martin luther king
Hey Dan! I love this post about Dr. King. What a great man. I had the pleasure of taking my children to Memphis last week, and touring the National Civil Rights museaum/Lorraine motel where he was killed. What a place. I was truly overcome with emotion there. My children were worried as I honestly could not control my emotions- it was so odd to feel so much anger as well as a great feeling of gratitude to those who fought for equality for all before my time on earth. It was so overwhelming to be able to read about all the hate so many have had to endure, while at the same time reading about all the history of battles with rascism that were finally won! How blessed our lives are for the great Dr. King and his influence and ultimate sacrifice. I hope you have been able to visit this historic place or will be able to in the future. My children, only 10, 8, and 5, I believe were not able to grasp fully what segregation meant or what sacrifices were made by so many others to allow people of all race and nationality to enjoy equality. I too am so thankful for Dr. King and all who were a part of the Civil Rights movement and continue to be today. I am incredably jealous of your time with his daughter- what a great blessing! Thank you for sharing your thoughts as we celebrate his great life!
Dan,
I like the idea of this blog. Thanks for taking to post your thoughts on leadership. Several years ago I was teaching AP US History at Pope High School in Marietta. We were studying the Civil Rights movement and watched part of a great PBS series called “Eye on the Prize”. One of the episodes showed a large portion of Dr. King’s last speech in Memphis before he was shot.
To this day I still get chills thinking about that speech because it was evident that Dr King knew that the Lord had him on a mission. Dr King also seemed to know that the Lord might call him home at any time so he was not wasting time or words in fulfilling the duties that the Lord had called him too. It was both humbling and an encouragement to see a man pursue his calling to the best of his ability. Blessings – Jason