The MLK National Memorial

Earlier this week, I blogged about some of my faves in Washington, D.C. This weekend, the official dedication ceremony of the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Memorial takes place on the National Mall. The celebration will be a gathering of many, and I’ll be there in spirit.

Martin Luther King, Jr. was a great leader and teacher. He inspired change that, at the time, seemed to many unreachable. He helped bring out the best in people by not only challenging the norm, but also by insisting that such radical change could happen through non-violent means.

On August 28, 1963, Martin Luther King, Jr. told the crowd, “I have a dream.”  It was more than a statement; it was a call to action. A call to share in the dream of equality and justice for all. The memorial is a wonderful tribute to an incredible life, and a testament to the capacity for each individual to make a difference. For me, this call to action continues not just as a vision for all humankind, but for the spread of compassion towards all living beings, human and nonhuman alike.

Favorite Martin Luther King, Jr. Quotations:

• Life’s most persistent and urgent question is: “What are you doing for others?”
• Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.
• Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be. This is the interrelated structure of reality.

The ultimate lesson of Martin Luther King, Jr.’s work and accomplishments: we must never lose faith, and we must never give up.

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