Tuesday, January 22, 2008
A Story from Stu
Yesterday, Karissa and I attended the 14th Annual Unity Breakfast, where hundreds of people from all across central Kentucky come to celebrate and remember Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Afterward, many of us participated in a march with some of our friends from Communality, a local church downtown.
During the breakfast, four individuals from the Lexington community shared their personal reflections on Dr. King's life regarding four areas of his life - spiritualism, education, civil rights, and humanitarianism.
Stu Silberman, Fayette Co. Superintendent of schools, spoke about education. His reflection touched Karissa and I both and I hope to share, as best I can, my recollection of his thoughts.
Imaginatively, he began to describe what it would be like to walk in to a local elementary school to pick up his granddaughter and to meet Dr. King standing there waiting to pick up his great-granddaughter. Stu painted a picture of the awe and wonder he would feel in the presence of such a great man.
Stu would tell him what great admiration he had for Dr. King and his efforts, especially in education. Dr. King would then turn and ask Stu what he is doing in Lexington to further the education of children. Stu would share about the ways that they have come so far, and yet also discuss the ways that they have fallen short.
After sharing in this discussion with Dr. King about how much progress has been made and yet how much further they have to go, Stu imagined Dr. King sharing this story:
Two Civil Rights workers' wives were mending their husbands' clothes. The first woman turned to the second and said, "My husband comes home everyday and is always so discouraged. He feels like we aren't making any progress and that we have so far to go."
The second woman turns to the first and says, "My husband comes home everyday and expresses his hope and the encouragement he feels. He believes we are making progress and moving forward in mighty ways."
The women continue their mending...and then Dr. King shares this observation.
The first woman sitting there was mending the seat of her husband's trousers and the elbows of his jacket. The second woman was mending the knees of her husband's pants and the soles of his shoes.
Karissa turned and, with tear-filled eyes, looked at me as shivers went up and down my spine.
During the breakfast, four individuals from the Lexington community shared their personal reflections on Dr. King's life regarding four areas of his life - spiritualism, education, civil rights, and humanitarianism.
Stu Silberman, Fayette Co. Superintendent of schools, spoke about education. His reflection touched Karissa and I both and I hope to share, as best I can, my recollection of his thoughts.
Imaginatively, he began to describe what it would be like to walk in to a local elementary school to pick up his granddaughter and to meet Dr. King standing there waiting to pick up his great-granddaughter. Stu painted a picture of the awe and wonder he would feel in the presence of such a great man.
Stu would tell him what great admiration he had for Dr. King and his efforts, especially in education. Dr. King would then turn and ask Stu what he is doing in Lexington to further the education of children. Stu would share about the ways that they have come so far, and yet also discuss the ways that they have fallen short.
After sharing in this discussion with Dr. King about how much progress has been made and yet how much further they have to go, Stu imagined Dr. King sharing this story:
Two Civil Rights workers' wives were mending their husbands' clothes. The first woman turned to the second and said, "My husband comes home everyday and is always so discouraged. He feels like we aren't making any progress and that we have so far to go."
The second woman turns to the first and says, "My husband comes home everyday and expresses his hope and the encouragement he feels. He believes we are making progress and moving forward in mighty ways."
The women continue their mending...and then Dr. King shares this observation.
The first woman sitting there was mending the seat of her husband's trousers and the elbows of his jacket. The second woman was mending the knees of her husband's pants and the soles of his shoes.
Karissa turned and, with tear-filled eyes, looked at me as shivers went up and down my spine.
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It's wonderful to hear you had a positive experience this week. And a powerful one at that. Talk to you soon.
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