Dare to Dream

In recognition of Dr. Martin Luther King’s birthday, January 15, I wanted to take some time to reflect on one big thing: Is Dr. King’s dream alive?

More than 50 years ago, Dr. King delivered a profound speech on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. In this heartfelt speech originally entitled, “Normalcy, Never Again,” Dr. King transformed the heartbeat of America to the tune of the American Civil Rights Movement. During the speech, Mahalia Jackson shouted, “Tell them about the dream, Martin!” and Dr. King began to preach and emphasize each point with the words, “I have a Dream.” The improvised version of “Normalcy, Never Again,” became the infamous, “I Have a Dream,” speech.

In the words of Dr. King, “I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.’ I have a dream that one day on the red hills of Georgia the sons of former slaves and the sons of former slave-owners will be able to sit down together at a table of brotherhood. I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will be transformed into an oasis of freedom and justice. I have a dream that my four children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”

While I am sure there is a great debate to how far Dr. King’s dream has come— whether for better or worse—I believe his dream lives on and can be seen in our everyday actions. For instance, the following video tells the story of two teenagers living the kind of “dream” I imagine Dr. King speaking of; A dream that encourages every man, woman and child to be a better, kinder and more understanding version of him or herself.

For me, Dr. King’s dream was about caring for others and making a selfless commitment to build a world better than yesterday, giving future generations a brighter tomorrow. I salute the individuals of our National Armed Forces who sacrifice their lives to defend our freedom and liberties both domestically and abroad. I commend the men and women first responders who protect, heal, counsel and nurture the sick, elderly, handicap and the homeless without regard to race and ethnicity. Moreover, I applaud the efforts of not-for-profits and social organizations that forgo compensation in effort to pursue social justice; world peace over hierarchy; and put inner-city streets above Wall Street. I sleep better under the warmth of the blanket of freedom from which their services provide. The love and selflessness of Demetrius de Moors can’t be traded, purchased or bartered. It comes from within. And isn’t that the place all dreams are derived, from within?

So as I reflect back on Dr. King’s dream, I ask each person reading this blog to take a moment to reflect on your own dreams and then ask yourself, “Do my dreams make the world a better place?” Whether it’s a big dream or little dream, a small gesture or life-changing action, you should do your best to keep in mind the common good of others. Make choices that help better others, your community or the world. I believe you can live the dream Dr. King imagined one small action at a time. As shown in the video above, Demetrius not only exemplified the idea of Dr. King’s dream, he made someone else’s personal dream a reality. Conner, from the video below, helped make his brother’s dream come true by putting his needs before his own. Conner’s love and selflessness not only brought joy to his brother and family, they sparked a sense of inspiration, motivation and hope to everyone around him.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPnMfRBWMf0

Let these stories act as a reminder that doing good and making a positive impact in the world can be achieved with even the smallest gesture. I dare you to dream! And I hope your dreams stretch your imagination far enough for you to make a difference in someone’s life.

“Well, I don’t know what will happen now. We’ve got some difficult days ahead. But it doesn’t matter with me now. Because I’ve been to the mountaintop. And I don’t mind. Like anybody, I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place. But I’m not concerned about that now. I just want to do God’s will. And He’s allowed me to go up to the mountain. And I’ve looked over. And 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. And I’m happy, tonight. I’m not worried about anything. I’m not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord.” Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.