"We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools." - MLK

I remembered it was MLK day when I went to check my mail, and there were no bills yesterday. Then it clicked...it was a holiday. I then had to reflect briefly on Martin Luther King, it's how my brain works. Perhaps it's my age or maybe it's just me, but the older I get, the more I appreciate such holidays (not because I don't have to work, I still did) but because I have such respect for the man. His drive, his passion, his activism MADE A DIFFERENCE. He was a leader not only in the civil rights movement, but pursued many areas of need (such as the "poor people's campaign" he helped orchestrate to address the financial inadequacies some faced.)

Today, in a huge part thanks to MLK, we are much closer to being a "color blind" society. I am grateful for all that he accomplished before his life was cut short, the transformation wasn't only his desire, it was completely necessary.

Again, because of how my brain works (mostly entirely random), I was reminded  of a story I shared with my Sunday School class this week, about a widow. The short version is that when it came time to give offering, this widow gave two coins (worth less than two pennies) but it was everything that she had. This lead to a discussion about giving - how to GIVE like the widow gave.

So often we don't live like MLK or the widow because we help others or give for validation, we give for recognition, or we give because we need some form of service on the resume. OR we don't give at all because it's not that important, or we don't have time.....everything else takes precedence. Yet the pureness, the greatness, the wonder that comes with this giving from the heart is worth so much more than we can even fathom. Not that we have to change the world as MLK did (if you can, that's fantabulous!) but it's the little things that make a difference too.

 One small step that I challenge all of you to do, is to eliminate your discriminatory behaviors. Perhaps you are clean from any stereotypes or misconceptions of others, but I think we all are guilty of this in some shape or form, I know I am. Fear and ignorance are the major factors when it comes to racism or discrimination. What if you see a gay couple.....or a young teenage mom......or a hispanic family talking in Spanish at the store? With any of these or other situations that are different than your "norm", what is your reaction????? Then look at what leads to these misunderstandings - what is it that you don't know about that person - where they are coming from? Whether it be sexual preference, personal appearance, income level, religious beliefs, ethnic background, or music diversity - everyone just wants to ultimately be accepted.

I realize we all have different ideas, but I am just asking you look at everyone as an individual, a person....different in culture, but not different in heart. We are all in this together, so we might as well "learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools." - MLK (I think the live together as brothers part is much better than the alternative! :)