I’ve loved the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday since it was first announced. There was a lot of controversy, and I believe more than one state refused to honor it. Not me.
A kid of the 60’s I was fascinated with 4 events: President Kennedy’s assassination, the Viet Nam war, MLK’s assassination and the Beatles. These were big, big events that my parents and their siblings and friends talked about often. At the dinner table. At Grampa’s. At church. And I just listened, that’s all I could do… listen and try and understand.
Who would shoot a president?
Why was my friend’s brother shipped across the world to die?
Why were black people bad, and why was a popular preacher killed?
… and yeah, How were British people so cool?
Ronald Reagan made MLK’s (no disrespect, it’s just a long name to say in my head every time I type it) holiday a reality. I was 21, living in Mexico. So I came home to a new holiday, and it made me happy.
The words “I have a dream” resonated with me… just like it had with millions of others. I read the speech multiple times. It was good.
When my kids were kids, I’d always take the day off. We’d go on a hike of some sort, and we’d talk about their dreams for their lives in a subtle sorta way… and I’d think about my own.
The kids are grown, so today I met up with my friends for a bike ride – the San Juan Trail in amazing form. They are kids too. Most are at least 10 years younger and on average 15-20 years younger.
What a blessing, to be healthy and have young friends.
It’s like a dream…
The on bike video needs a lot of work. I’m learning, I’ll get better.
