Happy MLK...

Riding on the back of the celebration of Martin Luther King's Birthday yesterday...I would like to talk about a quote of his that I love....

The means we use must be as pure as the ends we seek.
Martin Luther King, Jr.

I find this to be particularly pertinent when seeking to do any form of service in the modern world. So often people start a business, school, politics, art, with the intension of doing good work, making a contribution only to find it harder and harder to make those choices on a daily basis. Little things happen every day that challenge our heart, our purity, and our integrity, and sometimes we think well, if I just do this now then I will be able to do all the good stuff I want to do down the line and make up for it, but it never works that way. Never. When you cut little corners in any fashion, or do things that you know are not true to your heart along your path, they are like chinks in a chain that becomes weaker and weaker with time. I have had this challenge put in front of me several time with prestigious jobs where I had great connections, and great money, and thought if I just work here a little while I can build up enough assets to do the type of philanthropic work I want to do, only to realize that every day in some small way I would be compromising my heart and my values and also not strengthening my heart and my values by being around a community that had a similar vision. We must fight the good fight all the time, every day, and the small things are as important if not more important then the big things because they create your center, your strength, and your character. The former eats away at your soul and slowly pulls your vision off your original path, and the ladder build momentum slowly but surely as you find strength and confidence from fighting the good fight every day and hopefully finding kindred spirits along the way that and willing to fight that fight with you. A small group of clear and determined individuals with pure and untainted hearts are in fact the only people that have ever really done anything of value in this world. To give you one more glorious quote of support from MR. MLK...don't worry...have faith that truth does prevail.

Fear knocked at the door, faith answered, no one was there.
Martin Luther King, Jr.

Happy Birthday Mr. Martin Luther King Jr.