Page 17 - IAV Digital Magazine #418

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3 Inspirational Lessons From Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
By Linal Harris
Dr. King has been a source of inspira- tion for me, since I was a child. It was Dr. King (by way of my elementary school teachers) who first introduced me to the idea of dreaming and standing steadfast in a dream.
To honor Dr. King, on the day that has been set aside to cele- brate his birthday, I would like to share three lessons I’ve learned from his life.
Lesson #1: Personal Immortality
Dr. King believed at a young age that as human beings we can achieve personal immortality. This doesn’t mean that you can cheat death...we all will die! What it means is that as human beings we all have the potential to live our lives in such a way, that our legacy becomes immortal. Our beliefs, dreams, words, writings, and lives can leave a lasting impact on future generations for thousands of years. He achieved this...will you and I?
Lesson #2: Shadow Casting
Dr. King hadn’t always been the man we all know and respect. In his writings, he admits to letting hate creep into his heart as an adoles- cent and later as a young adult he admitted to a short stretch of skepticism about his faith.
Dr. King became the man we love and know with help and influence from many other great people.
In college, Dr. King read Civil Disobedience by Henry David Thoreau. He was so moved by Thoreau’s deep beliefs and writings, that he read Civil Disobedience multiple times that year. Thoreau’s life and his book were both catalyst that began to mold King’s life work.
• What if Thoreau had never gone to prison for what he believed?
• What if he had never written this book?
• What if King’s college professor had not assigned it?
In seminary school, Dr. King had the opportunity to hear Dr. Mordecai Johnson, President of Howard
University speak in Philadelphia. Dr. Johnson had just returned home from India and it was there that Dr. King was intro- duced to the teaching and beliefs of Mahatma Gandhi.
• What if Dr. Johnson had chosen a different topic?
• What if Dr. King had been to tired or busy to go?
• What if Mahatma Gandhi hadn’t achieved personal immortality?
“Everything that we see is a shadow cast by that which we do not see.” ~
Dr.Martin Luther King, Jr.
We can celebrate Dr. King today, because of the shadows those before him cast. What shadows are you casting?
Lesson #3: Somebodiness
Dr. King often talks about the important role his
parents played in his upbringing. One of the lessons his parents taught him, that he refers to often is the les- son he calls ‘somebodi- ness’. ‘Somebodiness’ is a state of self dignity and worthiness, despite what others may think. It is a deep inner resolve that nobody can con- vince me that I am not somebody.
In 1967, Dr. King spoke in Cleveland and provid- ed the following instruc- tion to the audience:
“The first thing we must do is to develop within ourselves a deep sense of somebodiness. Don’t let anybody make you feel that you are nobody. Because the minute one feels that way, he is incapable of rising to his full maturity as a person.”
Are you embracing the full potential of your somebodiness?
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. has left so many les- sons for each of us to learn. Personally, he has been a continual source of inspiration for me and because of that I celebrate his birth.
Happy Birthday Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and thank you!
Psychiatrist vs. Bartender Ever since I was a child, I've always had a fear of someone under my bed at night. So I went to a shrink and told him 'I've got problems. Every time I go to bed I think there's somebody under it. I'm scared. I think I'm going crazy.'
'Just put yourself in my hands for one year,' said the shrink.
'Come talk to me three times a week and we should be able to get rid of those fears'.
'How much do you charge?' 'Eighty dollars per visit,' replied the doc- tor. 'I'll think about it,' I said. Six months later, I met the doctor on the street. 'Why didn't you come to see me about those fears you were having?' he asked. 'Well, Eighty bucks a visit three times a week for a year is an awful lot of money! A bartender cured me for $10.
I was so happy to have saved all that money that I bought me a new pick- up truck!"
'Is that so!' With a bit of an attitude he said, 'and how, may I ask, did a bartender cure you?'
'He told me to cut the legs off the bed! Ain't nobody under there now!!!'
The moral is: STAY AWAY FROM THE SHRINKS.. HAVE A DRINK & TALK TO A BARTENDER
A nice, calm and respectable lady went into the pharmacy, right up to the pharmacist, looked straight into his eyes, and said, "I would like to buy some cyanide."?
The pharmacist asked, "Why in the world do you need cyanide?"
The lady replied, "I need it to poison my husband."
The pharmacists eyes got big and he exclaimed, "Lord have mercy! I can't give you cyanide to kill your hus- band! That's against the law! I'll lose my license! They'll throw both of us in jail! All kinds of bad things will happen. Absolutely not! You CAN- NOT have any cyanide!"
The lady reached into her purse and pulled out a picture of her husband in bed with the pharma- cist's wife.
The pharmacist looked at the picture and replied, "Well now. That's differ- ent. You didn't tell me you had a prescription."
The middle aged man was visibly shaken when his Doctor advised that he had only 6 month's to live because of the termi- nal disease that was detected during a recent physical check-up.
The Doctor suggested that he should get his 'house in order' , make sure his Will was current and ensure all final arrangements were in place for the funeral. He should then make plans to enjoy what might be left of his life, to the fullest.
"What will you do for the last six months?" asked the Doctor.
His patient thought for a few minutes then replied, "I think I'll go and live with my Mother-in-law."
Surprised by the answer, the Doctor asked, "Of all people, why in the would you want to live with your Mother-in-law?"
"Because it'll be the longest six months of my Life!"
On New Year's Eve, Daniel was in no shape to drive, so he sensibly left his van in the car park and walked home. As he was wobbling along, he was stopped by a policeman. 'What are you doing out here at four o'clock in the morn-
ing?' asked the police officer.
'I'monmywaytoalec- ture,' answered Daniel.
'And who on earth, in their right mind, is going to give a lecture at this time on New Year's Eve?' enquired the con- stable sarcastically.
'My wife,' slurred Daniel grimly.
Bill, Jim and Scott were staying in a 75-story hotel. One afternoon they were told that the elevators were broken and they would have to climb 75 flights of stairs to get to their room on the top floor.
Bill said, "The climb will go faster if we distract ourselves. I'll tell jokes for 25 flights, Jim can sing songs for the next 25 flights and Scott can tell sad stories for the rest of the way."
Bill started telling jokes and didn't stop until the 26th floor. Then Jim began to sing and kept going until the 51st floor. Then Jim stopped singing and told Scott to start telling sad stories.
"I will tell my saddest story first," Scott said. "Once upon a time there was a man named Scott who left his hotel room key in the car..."
The lawyer was cross- examining a witness. “Isn’t it true,“ he began, “that you were given $5000.00 to throw this case?”
The witness did not answer. Instead, he just stared out the window as though he hadn’t heard the question. The attor- ney repeated himself, again getting the same reaction, the same no response. Finally, the judge spoke to the wit- ness, “Please answer the question.”
“Oh,” said the startled witness, “I'm sorry your honor. I thought he was talking to you.”
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