Martin Luther King, Jr and a Legacy of Love

So many years ago this man left an impact.  He continues to do so to this day.  Yes, it is a holiday and a day off for many, but it is so much more than that.

I remember watching Martin Luther King, Jr.’s captivating speeches on a black and white TV.  There are so many wise quotes from this man.  How does one pick a favorite?  I can’t, but here’s a couple that especially touched me. 

I totally agree with Martin Luther King, Jr.’s  thoughts on love and hate.  Hate is a great burden to bear.  It’s not healthy.  It’s not productive.  It can destroy you.  Notice he chose to stick with love.  It was a conscious effort.  Those were days filled with a lot of unrest and violence.  It probably took a lot to make that choice.

How often do we have to make a conscious effort to stick with love, also? Unfortunately this is the world we live in.  Although this quote is from many years ago during the life of Martin Luther King, Jr, it is timeless in the message.

Keep life positive…stick with love. You will be healthier for it.  You will set your life on the path you were meant to go.  That’s not saying it will be the easiest path, but it will be the best path.  It will be the path you were meant to take.

In following with the many inspirational messages left behind by a great man, we often find other quotes that build on his message of choosing love over hate.  If we love others, it would only be natural that we also do things for others.  We all have different talents, gifts and resources.  We all have different amounts of time available, different family and health situations and life situations.  We all have certain demands placed on us…some, more than others.

If we listen to our inner-most voice, we may feel a need to respond to that thing that keeps tugging on our heart.  Why are we here?  Whose life could we impact?  What are we doing for others? 

These are days of turmoil in the world with at-risk youth struggling, families in trouble, and individuals facing a multitude of problems to include: physical health, mental health, financial and relationship struggles.  There are fears over the economy and the future.  It all underlines the need to be there for others and do what we can to help.  Often, we feel we can’t do much, or at least not enough.  But we can do something.  We can be a friend, lend a hand, offer encouragement, send up a prayer.  As for me, one of the things I do is to write books to try to help others.  It’s one of my answers to that which is tugging on my heart.

As we remember a great man today, may we also remember the words of wisdom and the legacy of love which we need to carry on.  I hope you choose to “stick with love” and are able to answer the question, “What are you doing for others?”  What is your calling that you answer to by choosing to “stick with love”?