Jim Palmer

Jim January 16th, 2012

“Men often hate each other because they fear each other; they fear each other because they don’t know each other; they don’t know each other because they can not communicate; they can not communicate because they are separated.”

- Martin Luther King, Jr., Stride Toward Freedom: The Montgomery Story, 1958

I have the above picture next to my computer, which means I see it every day. It’s a reminder of a dream that matters to me. For me, it’s standing for the inherent, equal and divine worth of every human being, and working toward a world that works for everyone. Determined, passionate, non-conformist, revolutionary, rebel, undeterred, courageous, powerful, unconventional, rule-breaker, peaceful, selfless – these are some of the words I have written on the back of that picture, characteristics of Martin Luther King, Jr. that draw out the kind of greatness I see in myself.

This was my first year of celebrating Kwanzaa, which I wrote a blog series about. I was especially remembering MLK on the day  that the Kwanzaa  principle was Ujima (Collective Work and Responsibility). It’s a call to build and maintain our community together and make our brothers’ and sisters’ problems our problems, and to solve them together. Notice the words of unity and solidarity: “our community,” “brothers’ and sisters‘,” “our problems,” “solve them together.” I can hear Martin Luther King, Jr.’s voice ring out in one of my favorite parts of his “I have a dream” address in which he envisions that day when we have “no thought to our separateness.” As I’ve been involved in Occupy Nashville I find myself studying Martin Luther King, Jr.’s way of being in the Civil Rights Movement, including his non-violent resistance.

I’m at a place on my journey where I’m being vigorous about the kind of life I’m living and creating, who I am for others, and my way of being in the world. Many things Martin Luther King, Jr. said confront and challenge me in this. In Strength to Love, Martin Luther King, Jr.’s words are recorded, “Each of us is something of a schizophrenic personality, tragically divided against ourselves.” I got that! In the past, that’s been my story. The story I am writing now is about having a extraordinary relationship with me and standing for my own greatness, realizing that I can’t be this for others if I’m not this for myself.

Seems like in one way or another I just keep running into Martin Luther King, Jr. I’m looking at that picture of him right now.

• Pondering
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