This was finally going to be the year when we offered a special tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr., through music and narration and excerpts of his speeches. It was going to be part of a retreat at the Expanding Light this past weekend, but had to be postponed due to the latest COVID surge.
Disappointing, but I was happy to discover a number of beautiful articles (links are below) about Dr. King which were written within the past few years by friends of mine here at Ananda Village.
Not only did I enjoy reading each one, but I felt moved, inspired, and uplifted…all of which help rekindle my determination to keep doing my part to manifest Dr. King’s vision of a loving, just, and harmonious world.
Today I’m experiencing the intense frustration that results from feeling my unique version of the “fierce urgency of now,” while at the same time feeling stuck, as though there’s something holding me back from the appropriate “vigorous and positive action.”
Arggghhhh!
I could be wrong, but I’m beginning to suspect it has to do with the fact that I haven’t made virtually any music in almost six weeks. And it’s not just a matter of my singing/playing getting “rusty;” it’s the not dipping into the flow of creativity and not enjoying the energy exchange that comes with participating in an ensemble and from performing for people.
So, in looking for a visually magnetic version of the above Martin Luther King quote, I stumbled on a blog with the attention-getting (to me, at least!) title of “Shut Up and Create.” This really felt like Divine Mother was talking to me! 😂
Anyway, this particular “Shut Up and Create” post — The fierce urgency of NOW…it’s on us — was published almost exactly a year ago and contains some sentences that really resonated for me… “…your work, ideas, activism, advocacy, and creativity are needed NOW. What are you sitting on that will make our world a better place to be free in?” [and] “The world is waiting for you to put your ideas, skill, talents, and thoughts into action. That book, app, learning community, workshop, non-profit, social enterprise you’ve been sitting on is needed NOW.”
Reading this is both exhilarating and terrifying, because I know in my heart that this is my time and my test.
Below are two quotes — one by and the other about Martin Luther King Jr. — that I had never heard before. I found both really powerful and hope you do, too.
“Love is the greatest force in the universe. It is the heartbeat of the moral cosmos. He who loves is a participant in the being of God.”
Martin Luther King Jr.
“The moment I met Martin Luther King, Jr., I knew I was in the presence of a holy person. Not just his good work, but his very being was a source of great inspiration for me…In Vietnam, we refer to Dr. King as a ‘Bodhisattva’, an enlightened being devoted to serving humanity.”
