Saturday, July 14, 2012

Words to Live By...


I visited the brand-new Martin Luther King, Jr. memorial on the 4th of July and am just getting around to posting some of my thoughts on the beautiful tribute.

In contrast to the tranquility of the Thomas Jefferson memorial or the somber retrospect exemplified by the war memorials on the Mall, the MLK memorial has a decidedly forward-thinking tone.  The huge stone effigy looks into the distance over the tidal basin as if he is reminding us how far we have yet to go in our pursuit of equality.


I was struck by the relevance of Dr. King's words engraved in the walls surrounding him.  Three years from becoming a full-time servant to hundreds of patients and perhaps thousands of teeth, I often think about the impact I may have on a community.  Perhaps equal rights through oral health should be my mantra, the way I make a career of humanity.  Being in D.C., it's hard not to constantly be thinking of solutions to the big problems facing our country; people who think their neighbors don't deserve the same basic rights they do are evident on a daily basis.  Perhaps the way to make a greater nation of our country is to help the least among us (as someone famous, a man Dr. King admired, advised). I hope to.


Ringed by flowers, the memorial is a beautiful end to an epic life and a profound testament to its legacy. I'm so thankful to have had a reminder of the terrific quotes and to witness the newest Mall addition.

1 comment:

  1. Sharing the best parts of D.C. has renewed my interet in our system of governmnent. It doesn't hurt to have high ideals and goals like MLK did. Thank you for showing us a beautiful and moving tribute to MLK---we would have never seen it otherwise! Get the most out of your time in D.C. that you can and then return home to us! Keep up the good work you're doing! Love, Mom

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