Happy Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day!
As a national caregiver, Dr. King put humanity over self and sought injustice and peace amid violence and conflict. That was the definition of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s life and legacy. He became the caregiver of nonviolence. He preached that negotiation could resolve disagreements. He cared enough to put himself in arm’s way to solve aggression and bloodshed. He cared enough to form the principles that show his caring nature as he sought justice for humanity. He cared about love, peace, and understanding actions that achieve unity, not division. Biblical principles guided King’s movements, the fundamental one being “God is Love.”
Dr. King lived and spoke to the longing of those who believed God’s love would seek peace. His faith commanded him to fight the good fight and finish the race through care and concern for others. The source of God’s love took him into the valley and to the mountaintop.
God’s love inspired him to seek out courageous individuals who cared about harmony and injustice. Dr. King faithfully endured in times of testing or struggle because he cared. In times of imprisonment, he faithfully endured because he cared. When he wanted his four children to live in a world of brotherly love, he endured. Dr. King was quoted in a speech in 1964, “We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools,” because he cared. Over the past few years, we have witnessed the turbulent actions of individuals with personal agendas and no signs of care or concern for humanity. I ask…What would Dr. King think of our current climate? King’s words, “We must come to see that the end we seek is a society at peace with itself, a society that can live with its conscience.”
As we remember the most prolific quote from the I Have A Dream Speech in 1963, Dr. King stated, “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where the color of their skin will not judge them, but by the content of their character.” Let us care enough to keep Dr. King’s mission and words alive in ourselves, our children, our community, and humanity.
As Your Proactive Caregiver Advocate, I hope we as a nation remain steadfast in showing God’s Love in our daily want for peace, harmony, and nonviolence. May we also never forget “The Dream” that should fuel us daily to care for humanity as Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. cared for humanity, and may I add, unto death. Be Safe! Be Well!
Dr. Cynthia J. Hickman is a retired registered nurse and case manager, CEO of Your Proactive Caregiver Advocate. She has released her newest book, The Essential Caregiver Training Course for Corporations and Community. From the Lens of Daughter, Nurse, and Caregiver: A Journey of Duty and Honor, and The Black Book of Important Information for Caregivers.