January 20, 2025: A Federal Holiday




Every year on the Sunday before the 2nd Federal Holiday of the year in the United States, a church that I attend plays part of Martin Luther King Jr.'s "I Have a Dream" speech.  They do this, of course, because the next day is Martin Luther King Jr Day, which is observed on the third Monday of January to honor Dr. King and his legacy of service.  (So much in fact that in 1994, President Clinton signed into law that the day should be a day of volunteer service.)  

Service to others makes good leaders great.  Think not just of Dr. King, but of those men and women who served humankind and made this world a better, fairer place.  As a Christian, I automatically think of Christ.  "Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms." (1 Peter 4:10)  Great leaders, no matter what their faith (or even if they have faith), serve humanity. Perhaps it is an innate part of their being?  I think of well-known leaders such as our first President, George Washington, who COULD have become a king of this new nation, but knew that was wrong for the people.  I think of Abraham Lincoln, who suffered the dissolution of the United States and the resulting Civil War, for the greater good of humanity, for we could not (and cannot) be a United States with human beings enslaved.

Leaders also don't have to be political or hold a position of power.  Think of Clara Barton, would the Red Cross be what it is today if it weren't for her dedication and service?  Think of Mother Theresa or Mahatma Gandhi.  Great leaders continue to evolve and grow in people like Malala Yousafzai, Volodymyr Zelensky and Edgar McGregor.  (You probably don't know that last name; Google it.)

While service can make leaders, you don't have to be a leader to serve and make an impact.  I will (probably) never be a leader, yet service is important in my life.  And nothing makes me prouder than saying it has become a part of my son's life without my prodding.  (Mom brad moment!)  I try to do little acts of service or kindness whenever I can.  On Martin Luther King Jr Day, since I am off from work, I like to do something a little bigger or something that might have more impact on my community.  This year, with 10+ inches of snow predicted, that might be a bit more difficult.  My "service" might just be to make a few phone calls to people to check in.  Or perhaps doing a little extra snow removal for someone who needs it.  I will admit, I don't have set plan at this time.  (As I continually look out the window and watch for flakes.)  No matter what I WILL do some kind of service because I know that acts of service, whether they be large or small, make a difference.  I may not change humanity, but I perhaps I can do something that will help another human being.  Even if that just means making that person (or persons) smile.  I can make a difference.  YOU can make a difference.

That dream that Dr. King spoke of in has not yet come completely to fruition, so we must continue to work towards it not just to honor his legacy, but to grow in humanity.   As Dr. King so eloquently said:  "I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exalted, every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain, and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.

"This is our hope. This is the faith that I go back to the South with. With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood. With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom together, knowing that we will be free one day...

"And if America is to be a great nation, this must become true. And so let freedom ring from the prodigious hilltops of New Hampshire. Let freedom ring from the mighty mountains of New York. Let freedom ring from the heightening Alleghenies of Pennsylvania. Let freedom ring from the snowcapped Rockies of Colorado. Let freedom ring from the curvaceous slopes of California. But not only that, let freedom ring from Stone Mountain of Georgia. Let freedom ring from Lookout Mountain of Tennessee. Let freedom ring from every hill and molehill of Mississippi. From every mountainside, let freedom ring."

This January 20th, let us show that the human race is one of caring and compassion by doing an act of service.  And when we can let us serve however we can so that it becomes part of the DNA of our humanity.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

We Have Taken America Back

Image
Back to a time when all men (and women) are not created equal.  Where women's healthcare is determined by men's laws and not by medical professionals. Where education tells only the "winning" side of the story and truth does not matter.  Where banning and burning books is a social event.  Where people who are "different" than those in power can be mocked, shunned and hurt with no real consequences. Where lies are acceptable and integrity is  just a word on a page We have moved into a time where rage is the rage.  Where hate is not just normal, but accepted and even cheered. Where leaders can ask to have their "enemies" killed and no one will bat an eye.  Where it's "funny" to see someone struggle.  Where felony is applauded. Where compassion is not shown and caring for others is looked down upon. We have taken America back to a time of pain and suffering for many.  Back to when the "haves" can have and the have nots don'...
Read more

It's Not About Starbucks (or is it)?

Image
  About a block and a half from my home in a major intersection.  At the southeast corner (which is nearest to me), is an empty building.  Back in 1995 it was a Bank of NY (I remember this because they didn't shovel/de-ice their parking lot well and my husband fell and broke his ankle one Monday morning.  I recall this clearly because we were not yet married and it was the first day of a new job for me.  I had gotten on the bus to work and he was catching a later one; only he never got there.  Instead he ended up laying on the ground until an employee came to open up the bank.  Then he had them call an ambulance AND my mother who took control of the situation until I arrived home that night blissfully unaware of what had happened that day.)  It eventually became a Chase Bank; the second one in my small little town.  It eventually closed.  I'm not sure when but it's been empty for quite a long time.  (I do know that it was open in 20...
Read more

As Is

Image
  Today I want to discuss what I think it is a relatively simple concept, but may be difficult for some, even an attorney who might have once, over a decade ago won a  prestigious award  for young lawyers .  That term is "AS IS." As you may know, I volunteer in a thrift shop.  Everything we sell, from all the donations we receive, is "as is."  The items are not brand new.  They are not perfect.  That doesn't mean they aren't any good or worth something. They are sold "as is."  Buyers should go in knowing that. (After all you are shopping in a thrift shop!)  In some cases, particularly when we are offering higher end products, we will actually write on the price tag, "as is." Such is the case of two designer purses that I purchased from there this summer.  (I'm a purse-aholic!  Don't look in my closet.)  They were reasonably priced (especially when you consider the name brand), but each had an "as is" clearly marked o...
Read more