OUT OF THE MOUNTAIN OF DESPAIR,
A STONE OF HOPE
Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Washington, D.C.
I’ll never forget seeing the Memorial in person, and I’ll never forget how it made me feel.
When I have heard references to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. these past few years, and predictably even today, MLK Jr. Day 2022, I’ve felt increasingly unsettling feelings in my heart and mind. When his name and words are referenced, I often find myself questioning the intent of the speaker. It feels as though we are further from the message than we are all willing to admit, or we are perhaps simplifying, even twisting the message for personal gain or moral comfort. I also recall how some of these speakers referencing Dr. King’s words make me feel entirely different than I did during that somber evening at the Memorial, or even those haunting and inspiring visits to the King Center and the Museum at the Lorraine Motel. Additionally, as discussion increases and evolves, I find myself in further awe of Dr. King’s less famous writings and quotes. It’s as if every last word of his is pressing and intensely relevant to right here, and right now.
National Civil Rights Museum Memphis, TN
As time goes on, I believe I am beginning to realize that we all are just that — at the beginning. We’re around 60 years removed, and we are still at the beginning of what the entire movement that Dr. King helped inspire really meant to convey. There is so much more to learn and apply with a sound mind and an open heart.
As I sit here today, I find myself grateful for many aspects of my life, a great amount of which are directly tied to Mahatma Gandhi, Dr. King, and the work of many others in their causes. However, I find myself again facing the reality that our collective societal acceptance of Dr. King is, well, a sort of “surface” level. There seems to be a very general foundation that many of us may agree upon, or choose to acknowledge once a year, but like the work of many great leaders, further analysis, application, and reflection is required to uncover the true substance of Dr. King’s work.
Visiting the statue of Mahatma Gandhi, an Indian nonviolent leader who was a source of inspiration for Dr. King, at the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historical Park, Atlanta, GA, cir. 2014.
Internalizing, discussing, and applying these words can be challenging. It can be intensely uncomfortable; it can initially appear to conflict with other aspects of our life; and it can possibly even ignite negative feelings among groups of people in the process of interpretation. It surely already has had this effect.
Despite my many words thus far, I realize my purpose and where I can make a difference is to listen. To truly listen. I have so much work to do to become a better listener, and the third Monday of January is a great example of this. I hope and commit to not only recognizing this day when we all do each year and moving on, but to also delve further into the message that is conveyed, beyond the most popular, widely spread, and often misconstrued words of Dr. King. I don’t know what this will result in as it pertains to myself — perhaps not much other than a little self-reflection, some virtual volunteering, and some reading this week. However, even doing that will be more impactful than previous years when participating in social media trends to acknowledge the day felt adequate. I’m excited to learn more by listening and reading, and I invite you to do the same. Links below.
