Leading with Hope in a Dream

There is no more iconic figure for hope than the late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. His magnificent depiction of an America where his "children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character" still moves me. We are forty six years beyond the articulation of a that dream and yet this week as we celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. King and those that struggled with him and after him, we are filled with hope. The hope we feel is not rooted in having arrived but in the progress we have made. The evidence of our national progress against bigotry fuels the desire in most people to continue the good fight against hatred.

While waiting for a meeting to start the other day. I was reading a plaque on the meeting room wall. It inspired me and perhaps will do the same for you. It read "never doubt that a small group of thoughtful committed citizens can change the world; indeed it is the only thing that ever has." Let this be a challenge to all of us to lead with hope and make the dreams of a better world come true.