Be Heard and Belong

If you can’t fly then run, if you can’t run then walk, if you can’t walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.--Martin Luther King Jr.

There comes a time in our lives when we all want to be heard. As a small child just learning to talk, a teen trying to find their place in the adult world, a person with a disability building their world through self-advocacy or a person who has aged and struggles with memory. We all want to be heard and feel like we belong. 

When people in our world verbally attack us or our ancestors its hard to feel like we belong. It's hard not to feel judged or less than others. When our neighbors don't stand up for us, it causes us pause to ask how can I be heard? Where do I belong?  

Several famous quotes of Martin Luther King Jr speak to the 'silent' of our neighbors. "There comes a time when silence is betrayal." AND "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." AND "In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends." 

My friends, our world is continually going through tough times that call us all to stand up and be heard. With Martin Luther King  Day upon us on Monday, January 15th, let's take time to reflect and remember...we all have a voice. Your voice is needed by your family, friends and neighbors each day. It is the voice that says it's not okay to bully, hold prejudice, treat people with disrespect or discount their value in the world. We must continue to move forward as a nation and world to make this planet a place for all. We all can contribute and be heard...I hope you find your voice.