An Important Lesson

"Press on and keep pressing. If you can't fly, run; if you can't run, walk; if you can't walk-CRAWL."
- Martin Luther King, Jr., March 31, 1956

What can I say about this man that hasn't been said already? One of the things I have always loved about Martin Luther King, Jr. is that while he fought for African Americans, he fought for everyone. For anyone who felt powerless. For everyone who had been thought of as less than others. Although I am not African American, I think of my grandparents in the 1940s, having to marry out of state because where they lived, my Filipino grandfather could not marry a white woman. I know that Martin Luther King helped bring about the change that made people remember their humanity, and of their capacity for compassion and kindness. I love that he had (and still has) such a unique ability to stir the soul to fight for change, in a non-violent way that made people desire to be better.

Tonight, I had a talk with my kids about Martin Luther King, Jr. Earlier this weekend, Aidan had informed me that on Monday, we had to talk about some guy, Martin. I had to go back and talk about slavery, the Civil War and Lincoln to help my kids understand what African Americans had endured in our country. They were very serious about it and asked some very intelligent questions. We finished by watching a clip of the "I Have a Dream Speech." Tomorrow, we'll watch the Inauguration, and hopefully the kids will be able to put the historic nature of the day into a more meaningful context!