A tribute to dreamers ...

I woke up this morning early, again, as I seem to do alot this year. I was always a morning person, but this year I've had days where I wake at 3 a.m. and can't stay in bed, filled with excitement. Other days, not many, I can barely get up, tired from staying up too late or worrying about things happening that I know I can't control.

But I woke excited today. I could barely stay in bed when my eyes opened. The driver this morning was Martin Luther King, Jr.. I woke up thinking that "idealists really can change the world." They inspire us, move us to action, and change the world because they create a picture of a future that we should and can achieve. And Dr. Martin Luther King was the best kind of idealist: an idealist, activist, and doer. That mindset, that kind of person and that kind of behavior, changes the world. Nelson Mandela had it, too. Each paved the way through love and conviction, kindness and action. Each sacrificed: one his life, the other a large part of it.

There is a lot to change in America ... and a lot to change in the world. We have so far to go to address the issues Dr. King raised. The big divide in the U.S. seems so deep and entrenched. 

While the pandemic rages, inequalities abound, and we witness the strangest transition of power in the most powerful country in the world, it's a hard time. Illness, unemployment, racial inequality — and all forms of unfairness — continue. The divisions in the U.S. have never seemed so deep. Even when I grew up during the Vietnam War, gas rationing, and terrifying inflation, I never felt the divisions I do now.

But I believe that if all align on the ideal Dr. King advocated, a great life for everyone, this divide can and will be filled in.

In the past I think we all looked to our government and civic leaders to drive the change. And we felt fortunate when Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. or another public figure appeared to lead us to the right place. We still need that.

But there is no reason to wait. I've come to believe that companies, organizations, and the people who lead them, work in them, and support them, can play a huge role in moving from ideals to action, driving change. Change that happens in an individual or a company. And an individual can affect others just as a company can.

On this day to remember Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., I just want to say thank you to all the dreamers, idealists, and activists out there. Keep pushing to make your dreams come true. And expect organizations and their leaders to act, too.