MLK

I confess that though I'm a history lover, I did not grow up caring much about the Civil Rights Movement. I don't remember it being taught much in school and I only heard what was filtered to me by teachers and other adults in my life. In a totally non CQ way, I remember being afraid to visit my Grandpa and Grandma Gilchrist because they lived in the "ghetto". I went to an all white private school partially because my folks didn't want me to go to the predominantly Asian high school that was the magnet school in my neighborhood.

Please hear me, I was not raised poorly and I did not grow up the least bit racist. However, there is more in my opinion than just not being something, I was and I suppose still today am not the best at interacting with those that are not white and middle class. There are a lot of barriers in life I have learned and skin color is probably one of the easiest to navigate.

I'm grateful thanks to what I do that I've had to be in a lot of different situations, that I've had the chance to meet and learn from people I would have never otherwise met. What I've learned is there are some amazing people out there and I've yet to meet a person who can't teach me something and hasn't made my life better. I can only hope they feel the same about me.

Probably my favorite city where I've had the chance to learn and be stretched is Memphis. I love that city. Everybody on our team does. We love the atmosphere, the food, the culture, the food, the BBQ but especially the people. Some of the finest people I know live in that city.

A while back I was there for a set up trip and my friend Tom and I had the chance to go through the Civil Rights Museum there. You see the room MLK was staying in when he was assassinated. You walk across the street and stand where the shooter probably did. You stand on the bus Rosa Parks made her stand, well, her sit, on. It's not a "fun" experience but it is moving.

So today we honor MLK. We will probably see part of that great speech, ESPN will play a bunch of basketball games which doesn't make much sense to me, but usually it doesn't cause much of reflection time for me. Until this year.

The picture I posted for this post is from a project Carter did for school. For some reason its struck a deep chord in me. I love the glimpse into his heart, I love what he's thinking and I think it is exactly what Dr. King was after. I'm sure he knew some of what he was doing that day on the Mall. I'm sure he had no idea what he was doing that day as well. I know he didn't give it so that my son and I could talk about his school project. However..... What I love about it is that it's not perfect and some ideas aren't the best. But its a starting place for a 7 1/2 year old. I know I didn't think that way at that age. Dreaming isn't always about having the perfect idea, its about casting a vision others can join and together something amazing happens.

So here's to thinking today. Here's to addressing the judgmental ideas inside our own hearts. Here's to remembering a leader, a pastor, a man who was not perfect but painted a picture of beauty and called us to something richer than what we knew or even know now. It's a lot bigger than Oprah having her own TV network. It's even bigger than Obama in the White House. It's best when it changes the way you and I think and act today. Here's to a dream, here's to calling kids to think now about what they can do for others. Who can you challenge today that might do things we never dreamed of tomorrow? That seems like something worth dedicating some time to.