In celebrating the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr.  too often there are superficial tributes offered to praise this man.  This piece by De’ Kridge De’ Kridge defies that, as it is written with heartfelt thanks to the benefits that Dr. King brought to this world.  We are proud to reprint this and thank him for writing it.

Happy Birthday Dr. King! – by De’ Kridge De’ Kridge

There are times, when we must labor to a purpose so distant,

never knowing fulfillment is not failure; and with contentment pretending friendship,

if we are moved to wonder of our strength to remain committed to the dream, we

should be no shame.



There are times, when pinned under echoes of slighting,

stirred by a look, a comment, an intentional hurt – the moment is scarred with thoughts

of racist indifference, rage, and/or loathing; but to veer off the dream path—void

even for a moment of tempered wisdom, is to surrender to the weight only we

must carry. Yes, it is very difficult this forever plight.



There are times, when in our children’s language and actions,

we hear and see fear, shame, and sometimes scorn for these shades, God’s claim –

and with fleeting innocence bruised, passion overflows—ugly is the moments rage—teeth

gritting, fists clenched to strikeout with might of right, claiming entitlement

to fairness—protection, for they are permanently clothed in these shades of

black; only barely holding tongue from condemning innocent minds and hearts to racists

resolve.



So, in reverence to Dr. King, we take pause to be nurtured

by his life; to be inspired by his will; to always learn from his tireless efforts

to our freedoms; to be owned by the same certainty-of-purpose he had to his dream.

In fact, let us be ashamed when we are not tempered, and instead we are foolish;

let us be ashamed when we are not pensive, and instead we are frivolous; and

let us be ashamed when we attempt to separate and not be inclusive.



Let us be evoked to

write—to blog, to share unselfishly—to heal from the tenderness of love; and to

tell of our deliberate intentions to walk collectively—proudly, arrested by the

boundless wealth of Dr. King’s resolves: faith, vision, tempered wisdom, and purposefulness

in leadership by example.



On behalf of The Power In M!O!R!E!



We thank you for your indelible attendance, Dr. King! Because

of you, we see sense where senselessness would have prevailed. Because of you,

we see hope where hopelessness would have lanced goodness, ending lives. Because

of you, we celebrate to remember that we promise never, ever to forget that you

are to our united strengths—our united purposes, the most cherished causes:

liberty taken with nonviolence. For if we forget, shame on us!



With respect and appreciation, we raise our voices in gratitude,

Happy Birthday Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.!



One Love from The Power In M!O!R!E!

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