I Can Do More

Every time I read Dr. King's "I Have a Dream" speech, I learn something new about me and my responsibilities. I can do more...

I am reminded today of the everlasting power of his words in a speech given from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, and the historical relevance to Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation abolishing slavery "five score years ago". Yet, here we are today, another three scores removed from those compelling words, still with a dream that has not become the reality for so many in our society. I can do more.

As I ponder the asset side of my balance sheet, the most important line-item(s) are my five children. While mostly adults now, I continue to learn that life and experiences are not normally distributed. Our goal as parents is to always keep them away from that fatter left tail, to arm them with perseverance and optimism, and to prepare them for life's deviations that are never standard. I am reminded today of the perspective that Dr. King brings to bear here, not as a leader, but as a parent: "I have a dream that my four little 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". Life can be challenging and there is always a liability side of that balance sheet too, and the color of one's skin should never be part of that calculus. Of the many things I have had to think about for my children, skin color was never an issue, but I'm reminded again today that this is still not a universal truth. I can do more.

I learned today what happened with Dr. King's original typewritten speech. A young man named George Raveling asked if he could have the speech, and with no hesitancy, Dr. King handed it to him as he left the stage. An impulsive act, or the purposeful passing of such a significant baton?

George did not have an easy life, and spent his formative years without his parents. It was his grandmother who did her very best to keep him out of that left tail, and his was fatter than most people that I have known in my life. While George eventually went on the achieve tremendous success in his own right, the early values he was taught, shaped him in such significant ways. While Dr. King's speech could have been sold for millions of dollars, George understood that Dr. King trusted him as a selfless fiduciary and that speech, and those words, never belonged to him. Take the time to learn a bit about George Raveling this weekend, and let's all try to be more like him. I can do more.

As I am now three scores (plus) on this planet, I can still learn and I can still do more. I start everyday thinking about the fiduciary responsibilities of the lives of my children, and those of the parents and children of my neighbor. I need to grow and to learn, to act and to influence, to speak up and use my three-score voice to effect change. It will never be as powerful as Dr. King's, but collectively and in unison, we can do more.

Seek education and diversity within life's portfolio for you and all the people around you, as we invest in the long term future for all humankind.