Friday, January 15, 2010

On This Day


Martin Luther King, Jr. was born on this day in 1929. He had a lot to say during his life – obviously – but one of the most impactful statements to me is:

“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. “

Sadly I couldn’t find when or where he said it but wow is it full of truth. As I will be fortunate enough to be home with my family in honor of his birthday this coming Monday, I will reflect on this truth.

I think we all should realize that our words and actions have an impact on others. I think we choose if they will have a negative impact or a positive impact. I don’t think that everything we do or say should be overly examined before we do it or say it so don’t get me wrong there. Because I think in order for us to have a positive impact on others we have to be ‘comfortable in our skin” first and know who we are. But I do believe the premise Dr. King conveyed here in that I can never be everything I should be until my words and actions impact you in a way that builds you up and helps you be everything you can be. I, for one, don’t want to be at my “mountaintop” only to look back and see people I have impacted that are not at theirs. But am I really at my mountaintop anyway, if you are not at yours?

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