In essence, Martin Luther King, Jr.'s legacy is one of love. Appropriately, I find many of his statements applicable to our topic of love and relationships. Of course, love applied to any situation make it more delicious!
Here are a few of my favorite M.L.K. statements and how they apply to the topic at hand.
"Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase."
Every relationship is a leap of faith. You need to let down your guard; let another person into your heart and reveal your hopes, dreams, and fears. And that just plain scary! However, when you have enough faith in your partner to risk your heart, the rewards are immeasurable. Remember, without great risk, there is no chance for great reward.
"We must build dikes of courage to hold back the flood of fear."
After any sort of loss you tend to retreat inward. Self-protective barriers are erected to shield yourself from more loss and subsequent heartache. Even though you are fearful, you still need to eventually step back into the world. Each baby step you take is building those "dikes of courage" and this will allow you to stave off the onslaught of fear. Perhaps, think of each foray into the dating world as a building block of your "dike of courage."
"Never succumb to the temptation of bitterness."
Even if you have been hurt by love before, do not run away from the possibility of new love. Bitterness, anger and negative attachments to a past partner keep you stuck in a place you probably rather not be. Conquer bitterness with forgiveness, gratitude and love.
"There can be no deep disappointment where there is not deep love."
Only the ones whom we love the most possess the power to hurt us. Sometimes friends are treated more nicely than our loved ones. You might rethink your actions and treat your loved ones as the best friends that they are.
"We must accept finite disappointment, but never lose infinite hope."
It is your right to be disappointed by your inability to find a worthy partner. However, don't allow this to color your outlook. Hope springs eternal, and you never know what life has waiting for you around the corner. Although, it IS up to you to venture around the next corner!
"We must use our time creatively."
Don't waste a moment of your life simply waiting for someone to enter it or even think he/she will be able to fix it. You must create a fulfilling life on your own. Make it so welcoming that others will clamor to join it!
"Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly. I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be. This is the interrelated structure of reality."
Part of a relationship is helping your partner strive to be everything he or she can be. As each of you reach higher levels, so the other follows suit. With loving support, each of you can constantly transform into an ever increasing best version of yourself.
Thank you to Martin Luther King, Jr. for his words of wisdom that ring true not only in the civil rights movement but in all areas of life.
No comments:
Post a Comment