meditation mondays: i have a dream | from the states to sweden and everywhere all around

two weeks ago today i stood on the steps of the lincoln memorial in washington, dc. in the exact spot where martin luther king, jr. stood and delivered his “i have a dream” speech in august of 1963. standing in his footsteps was a powerful moment for me. inspiring and overwhelming, as i looked out over the national mall down towards the washington monument, seeing the exact same thing that MLK did as he shared his dream of a world of justice and peace.

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today, as you read this, i am a bundle of nerves. it’s moving day for me and i am making my way to the airport in newark, nj and boarding a plane, once again, to move and create a new adventure for me + my little family… in sweden! that’s right. today’s the day that i leave my beloved american soil behind and land on my beautiful swedish ground to begin the next chapter of my own dream. what that dream looks like, i actually do not know. the road that i take to fulfill my dreams is unknown. and all of the experiences – hardships + triumphs – that i will encounter, i cannot even imagine. what i do know it this: i am on my way… and moving forward is always right.

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but, what i want to remind myself + each one of us today, is that the best dreams that we have for ourselves, are not just for ourselves. they are shared dreams – they are dreams, like MLK’s dream, that are for everyone. because, if we are honest with ourselves, what kind of life is it, if we make our personal dreams come true and continue to let others suffer around us? how much will we enjoy, knowing that our brothers + sisters down the street and around the world struggle even to survive? is it even possible to make our dreams come true without others?

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no, our dreams need to be bigger. this is not to say that you and i don’t have specific gifts and abilities and dreams and visions for how we live out our lives, but today is a call and a reminder, that we live out our own dreams with the hope that everything that we do makes a difference in this world. that everything that we do brings about more joy, more, peace, and more happiness. that we continue to learn to share our lives with each other.

besides… aren’t we all equals? aren’t we all humans? and don’t we all – no matter what color, size, gender, religion, nationality, etc – deserve the same opportunities to live the life that we dream?

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so, this move that i am making today; this embarking on a new phase my dream, is not just about me. it’s about all of us, everywhere. and i truly, from deep within, hope that as i fulfill, yet again, another dream of mine to live in europe and expand my horizons, that i do so with the knowledge that i carry a responsibility to use my life for something good. to use this next phase in my life to make a difference and to further the dream that MLK once spoke about. and that one day… all will be equal. all will be lifted up. and i will have spoken up + done something to help make that dream come true.

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“And when this happens, when we allow freedom to ring, when we let it ring from every village and every hamlet, from every state and every city, we will be able to speed up that day when all of God’s children, black and white, Jews and Gentiles, Protestants and Catholics, will be able to join hands and sing in the words of the old Negro spiritual, “Free at last! free at last! thank God Almighty, we are free at last!” – Martin Luther King, Jr. *

 

onwards + upwards to freedom!! xoxo

 

* of course, i include men, women, children, all religions and all countries in this quote. i believe that MLK includes all as well. i just wanted to note that our language and our world view has changed a bit since 1963. but, don’t you agree? MLK would include everyone in every place.

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