Sunny Sunday; MLK

 

Bill made a conscious decision on this Martin Luther King Day.  

He did not toast this piece of sourdough bread on the oven because he did not want to eat the United States. 

 The piece of sourdough almost went into the oven, but when Bill noticed Texas and Florida, signaling to him that this was an image of the United States (well, 48 of them anyway), he put the slice back to be toasted on another day. 

After all, Martin Luther King Day is a United States holiday, and it wouldn't seem right to toast the sourdough map of the Union in the oven on this day. 

Are we still a Union?  

That's a question that comes to mind as I think about the ideals of our nation on today's holiday.

I've always appreciated the MLK celebration because it does give me time to pause and think about ideals we should share as a nation and as a people.

While I was still teaching at Sandpoint High School and when Martin Luther King Day was coming along, we read his "I Have a Dream" speech out loud.  

Students in my junior English class also received the assignment of writing a major portion of the speech by hand and creating a nice display of what they had penned. 

I have always believed, as a journalist and a teacher and a person who had trouble remembering and interpreting, that the time spent writing something out by hand would bring insight and maybe even etch into my pea brain most of what had just been said. 

For the most part, the students seemed to enjoy the assignment, probably because it was a no brainer on their part.  They didn't have to think up anything; all they had to do was write. 

Still, the thinking that Dr. King did while putting together this iconic American speech probably spilled over into my students' brains as they wrote line by line. 

Since retirement and with this blog, I've always enjoyed gleaning some of Dr. King's quotes for the day and hoping that I could improve on my own civic involvement by remembering the guidelines he so eloquently articulated. 

We're not always great with ideals, but if we receive gentle reminders from time to time, maybe we can do better as Americans and remember some of the ideals of what being Americans has been all about for generations. 

Let's hope for the best, especially during these troubled times. 

Even a little movement toward what King inspired and toward what the United States of America truly means would be a good thing.  

💜💛💚💙 

"On some positions, Cowardice asks the question, 'Is it safe?' Expediency asks the question, 'Is it politic?' And Vanity comes along and asks the question, 'Is it popular?' But Conscience asks the question, 'Is it right?' And there comes a time when one must take a position that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular but he must do it because Conscience tells him it is right."

— during a Feb. 6, 1968, speech in Washington, D.C. 

"The beauty of genuine brotherhood and peace is more precious than diamonds or silver or gold."

— from his Nobel Peace Prize acceptance speech in Oslo, Norway, on Dec. 10, 1964 

Difficult and painful as it is, we must walk on in the days ahead with an audacious faith in the future."

— from his speech at the Southern Christian Leadership Conference on Aug. 16, 1967, in Atlanta, Ga. 

"What is needed is a realization that power without love is reckless and abusive, and that love without power is sentimental and anemic. Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice, and justice at its best is love correcting everything that stands against love."

— from a speech at the Southern Christian Leadership Conference on Aug. 16, 1967, in Atlanta, Ga.

“Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that.” 

 💓💓~~Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.~~💓💓

Bill and I decided to take advantage of the January sunshine yesterday and go for a Sunday drive. 

"Where do you want to go?" he asked after coming home from church. 

I suggested Bonners Ferry, and he said that would be good because he could distribute some Trout Unlimited posters advertising the fly fishing film festival in February. 

So, we headed north, and as we drove along the valley north of Bonners Ferry, we were once again amazed with the January spring-like look to the landscape. 

No snow and even dust clouds on the road. 

Plus, we enjoyed driving past a variety of pretty and familiar sights.  

Later, we decided to take the dogs to the park on the northeast side of the bridge over Kootenai River. 

Lots of other Sunday walkers were out with their dogs too. 

That meant Foster got to meet Millie. 

Turns out both of the senior canine citizens came from Western Washington,  

Millie, beautiful collie, is 11, and her folks recently moved to Bonners Ferry. 

As I've noted before, Foster came from the Seattle area. 

The two hit it off just fine and spent some time nose to nose. 

Later, Scout, a rescue dog came along and enjoyed some time in the dogs/peeps gathering. 

The Sunday drive provided a wonderful and much-needed change of pace for all of us.

 

I loved this segment with Jane Pauley on "CBS Sunday Morning," talking about her alma mater Indiana University.  

Tonight's National Championship game on Martin Luther King Day brings with it some reminders of the American ideal with the phenomenal story of Indiana football, especially shining lights who have brought it to this place. 

Good luck to both Miami and Indiana, but, as a sentimental slob who loves an inspiring story, I won't mind if Indiana wins. 

🏈🏈🏈🏈🏈🏈🏈🏈

It's Dolly's 80th birthday today, so I'll end with a couple of my Dolly favorites. 

Dolly Parton, another shining light whose story and her good will exemplify the ideals of America.