Celebrating MLK with a Day of Service

This week we remembered civil rights leader, Martin Luther King Jr, here in the USA. The folks at the Oracle usually use a holiday giving us a three day weekend as an excuse to travel. But this year, we decided to do something a little different. Join us this week as we unpack celebrating MLK with a Day of Service.

Life’s Most Persistent Question

Last year, I listened to a local historian who shared stories about Martin Luther King Jr. As part of this presentation, he shared these two quotes that really made me think:

”Everybody can be great, because everybody can serve.” And…

”Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, “what are you doing for others?”

I also learned during this talk that this day has been set aside as a day to serve others…SINCE 1994! Honestly, I don’t keep my head in the sand, but I never heard this before.

So What AM I Doing for Others?

For the first time, my company gave us the day from work. And since we are not traveling, I had the time to explore this question. Here are a couple of things I concluded:

• Serving doesn’t have to be done for strangers. We can help our neighbors, our friends or our family.
• And it can take place where ever it’s needed. We can help in our neighborhood and even in our own homes.

The Two-Fold Plan – My Friend and My Country

A friend of mine has some tough things on the horizon AND is having trouble with their phone. I don’t have a lot of specific knowledge about the things they’re facing. And I am certainly not “high tech”. But I can come over for a cup of tea, and talk with them about how they’re feeling. And I have an Amazon Prime account, so ordering replacement equipment for them is only a few clicks away. I spent a few hours with them to help with both of these things.

Also, I have a special skill. I can read cursive! I know, I know. If you’re eligible for A.A.R.P., you’re thinking “what’s the big deal?” But I’ve read that it’s a skill that is diminishing with our current generations. It turns out I can serve my country by transcribing records for the National Archives, right from my own sofa. So far this week, I’ve spent my time making Revolutionary War records, searchable for future generations.

So…Why not Join Me?

I know Martin Luther King Jr. day is over, but the question still remains. What are we doing for others? We are so blessed that we get to travel. And we are so fortunate to have good health, and good friends around the world. But we could do more. Let’s slow down and notice the people around us. Let’s see if there is some way we can make their life just a little better. As MLK said, “the time is always right to do what is right.”

Thanks for joining us for this different journey. We’d love to hear more about how you’re serving in your community. AND speaking of community, why not join our tribe for free. You’ll get the latest from us and special content curated just for you.