One Holiday I Celebrate Passionately—365 Days a Year.

Today I’m thinking of a slogan I used to hear tossed around on the King holiday. “A day on, not a day off,” —the one day I made a point (to point out) I Take Off, as I honor Dr. King 365 days a year.

I was six years old when Dr. King was assassinated; and years beyond then before I came to truly understand his work. Politics was something heavily debated in our home, yet I was so busy trying to make sense of the arguments that it took a lot of questions, and analyzing, and reading and living before I could see ‘over the mountain.’

None too ironic, while many around me debated what they would do if mistreated, I was glued to them sit-ins my family had showing on the TV, thinking about what I would NOT DO. No way would I beg anyone to take my money in exchange for inhumane service. It was years later before I came to respect the altruistic lessons behind nonviolent sit-ins, Freedom Rides and such, even if...and still to this very day, customer service is my Achilles’ heel.

Most captivating about Dr. King was his magnetic leadership. What did he have, that many others saying the same things, didn’t have? A marketing teacher partially explained it; leaders being born out of need. Now of course ‘we all’ know Dr. King arose with a lot more than simply rising to the call from being needed.

I believe it was his passion; his genuine desire... and dream...to see people live together in some semblance of peace. I’m with on him that one. Ferreting out personal stories that touch me to the core, and recommending those memoirs is directly in my lane. This is what I do to help us get better at seeing beyond skin color...and heritage...and gender... and political affiliations...and opinions and beliefs, to truly realize Dr. King’s Dream.

What is your passion or purpose? How do you honor Dr. King 365?