Today is Martin Luther King day.  A day of remembrance and thankfulness.  A time to reflect on all that has been done by people in the past to get us to where we are today.  Particularly those people who suffered and were persecuted to correct wrongs and injustices in our society.

These people had a purpose beyond their own lives.  A purpose that motivated them to go out into hostile situations and face the possibility of harm and even death.  This inner drive was one that allowed them to see beyond their lives as individuals and see how they needed to change society.  It was a purpose larger than themselves.   It was a purpose outlined in Martin Luther King’s dream – one in which all people of the world would be judged by the character and not by the color of their skin.

I am very grateful to be able to remember and reflect on this.

I am grateful for all the people who went against the prevailing norms of society and fought for what was right.

I am grateful for all the men and women who protested non-violently and in so doing raised the consciousness of a Nation.

I am grateful for the sacrifices that these mothers and fathers, sons and daughters, brothers and sisters made.

I am thankful that our Nation had the vision to finally see it’s own ills and the will to change and to try to correct the wrongs we had put into place.

I am thankful for the ability to be able to reflect on this and think about what life could have been like without people like MLK and the others that so bravely faced down the prevailing biases and prejudices of the time.  To understand that a few people of courage had the power to change the perception of a Nation.

I am grateful for the fact that a few people of courage had the passion and vision to see a higher purpose that inspired and motivated millions.

However, in reflection, I am also forced to look at the future and wonder about it.

What are the injustices of today?  What are the wrongs that we need to face?  How do we raise the consciousness of our society?

What are the passions that we have that will drive our actions?

Are they passions that will create a better world or a worse world?  Will it be beneficial to all involved or just a few?

Will our children be able to reflect on the past and be proud of what we’ve done here today?  What is the greater purpose in our lives that will motivate our actions?

What is our dream for the future?