It Is with great honor, that I pay respect to one of our greatest modern leaders. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was a trailblazer, risk taker, and a visionary. Let us keep his memory alive and hold It with the utmost respect. It was his bravery and commitment to the advancement of his people that affords me the privilege to live the life that I live today.
"The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy."
This is my favorite MLK quote. It makes me think about the things that I have asked for in my life; the times I've asked for patience, courage, strength, and will. I always expected these demands to be met with a magical bottle of whatever it was I wanted. But what I've found out is that when you ask for patience, you're met with a difficult person to deal with. When you ask for courage, you're met with an opportunity that will require risk. When you ask for strength, you're met with a situation that you never imagined yourself being able to bear and still, you must.
I believe that we all have had trials and tests that have made us into the people who we are today. This quote reminds me that those trials were not without purpose. It was the challenge and controversy that molded me and shaped my future. I'm thankful for the bravery of individuals like Martin Luther King Jr. and many others who fought before, alongside, and after him. For it has been their trials that have made a way for me and many others.