First Encounters - Part I

Last Monday was the National Holiday celebration of Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday.

Blogger Side Note: Chad celebrated his sixteenth birthday on the same day. We didn’t get to the DMV for his written driver’s test last week, and they were closed on Saturday for the holiday since they were closed on Monday anyway. Chad passed the written exam on Wednesday and is scheduled for the driving portion of the test on the 6th of Feb.

On to the blog…

Last Friday evening Julie and I attend the MLK celebration at Emerald Ridge High School. Chad was a part of the vocal support in a student written “performance art.” At first I thought “why am I here?” Before long though I knew I had made a good decision to attend. By the end, the emotions which flow up and done daily now had gotten the better of me. My voice cracked as I told the young man acting the role of Dr. King that he “was amazing.” I told his Grandparents who were standing with him (as well as a sister I believe, and other family members) with beaming smiles, “you should be very proud of this young man – he sounded just like Dr. King – he will go far.” My eyes were welled up.

One thing I noted in a number of quotes attributed to Dr. King was a similarity to Dad’s personal philosophies.

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. quotes:

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”

“The good neighbor looks beyond the external accidents and discerns those inner
qualities that make all men human and, therefore, brothers.”

“Rarely do we find men who willingly engage in hard, solid thinking. There is an almost
universal quest for easy answers and half-baked solutions. Nothing pains some people
more than having to think.”

“The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically.
Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education.”

“The art of acceptance is the art of making someone who has just done you a small favor
wish that he might have done you a greater one.”

“We must use time creatively.”

All of these quotes were visibly displayed in Dad’s foundational beliefs.

Dad once told me “I never saw a black man until I joined the Air Force.” During the early fifties I am sure our black servicemen were not treated well. Dad never discussed this history directly, but rather espoused the ideal of treating everyone equally – with value.

-Craig