The Butterfly Effect

On this day we celebrate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. It has been dubbed "A day of service." I love that we honor Dr. King's memory by serving others as he was so adamant about serving our fellow beings. I would, however, encourage ones to remember Dr. King's works, his service, to humanity in his fight for human rights. We must not forget his dream because we have yet to realize it. The fact is, governments worldwide still have much to do in the way of gaining justice and equality for all humankind. The onus, though, is not just on governments, but also on we the people. There is much we can do to ensure equal rights for all, so a day of service is fitting, but might I suggest we extend it to many days.

There are many ways to serve and I believe service, like all things, begins at home. I am not referring merely to your actual home, although it is a good place to start. Your friends, family, and community are all places where your service can be helpful. How many times has someone asked for your assistance and you found you were too busy or would be too put upon to oblige? I often have ones asking for a shoulder, an ear, a ride, money, support, and I try to give it. Some find ways to take advantage, and I get reprimanded by loved ones for "doing too much for people." That seems like such a selfish statement sometimes.

Dr. King once said, ‎"An individual has not started living until he can rise above the narrow confines of his individualistic concerns to the broader concerns of all humanity." This statement makes me think of the butterfly effect. The butterfly effect is a term used in chaos theory to describe how small changes to a seemingly unrelated thing or condition (also known as an initial condition) can affect large, complex systems. The term comes from the suggestion that the flapping of a butterfly's wings in South America could affect the weather in Texas, meaning that the tiniest influence on one part of a system can have a huge effect on another part. So, if I set aside my individualistic concerns and help someone in need, the effects of that action can be far reaching.

If I buy someone a meal, I put money into the economy and community, securing jobs for at least another day, which enables others to eat, farmers to survive, children to be nourished so they can grow and become productive members of society, possibly creating a better world...and that's just how my buying a meal for someone might effect the business I purchased it from! My point is, when we help one, it is never just one we help, and we help ourselves in the process. If you can't find a reason to serve someone, think of the butterfly effect and realize you will be serving all of humanity. More love.

We Have All Lost Sight of the Dream

"In the process of gaining our rightful place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred. We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline." ~Martin Luther King Jr. I Have a Dream delivered 28 August 1963, at the Lincoln Memorial, Washington D.C

Many people don't remember this part of Dr. King's famous speech. I know this because I see and hear those who are oppressed showing bitterness and hatred  not only toward the oppressor, but toward others who are oppressed.  It seems that we are no longer on a mission of unity, but on one of separation.

There is no such thing as equal rights and justice if it is only for some. If equal means as great as, the same, and justice is the principle of fairness and moral rightness, then equal rights and justice only exist when it is given to all. Yet, many who fight for their own rights, at the same time want to keep others from theirs. Rather than trying to take away someone else's rights, we should be fighting to keep as many rights as we can.

There are so many excuses for separation, none of which are valid. To show partiality or prejudice because someone looks different, thinks differently, speaks differently, believes or lives differently is absurd because none of these characteristics affects another's life. Yet we wage these wars in our hearts against one another based on delusions. Black against brown, black against Jew, white against black, straight against gay, Christian against Jew, and so on is the busy work of the real enemies.

The real enemies are hatred, greed, and ignorance.  Instead of putting up a united front against these foes of humanity, we apportion ourselves into groups that fight each other. That fighting only gives birth to more soldiers for the enemy. Dr. King's dream was for freedom for all: 

And when this happens, when we allow freedom ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God's children, black men and white men, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual:                Free at last! Free at last!                Thank God Almighty, we are free at last!

It seems we have all lost sight of the dream. PEACE and blessings.