Week 2, Day 1

MLK Day!

To my surprise my kids didn't know much about MLK. My 5th grader didn't even have a discussion about it in school. Are you serious?? The only thing my 3rd grader could remember about her class discussion was Ebenezer Baptist Church.

So the History Channel aired a documentary that we all looked at for an hour. Afterward, I had them write a few sentences about what they learned. Jordan (3rd grader) took it a step further and did a worksheet I provided on describing her personal dreams and the steps she can take toward reaching those dreams.

This exercise really made me realize how much I've taken for granted as a free African-American living in America. So many others paved the way for me to live the life I live. They died and suffered so many injustices so that African-Americans and other racial groups can enjoy the freedoms we now enjoy. I've often wondered if its really beneficial to teach the next generation of the painful American History we all share but the exercise of this morning shed some light on the significance of remembering. Often it's painful and can stir up a lot of emotion but it causes you to remain humble, grateful, and self-aware. I think it also helps to bring more reconciliation and peace between the races when you observe how far we've truly come as a nation.

What an awesome man Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was. He sacrifaced so much personally for the cause. I believe he was doing God's will - a Moses for his people. Today started like any other day. I'm sad to say I had no plans for the observance of the day but I'm so glad we took advantage of the opportunity to teach the children about the significance of Dr. King's life and his ministry to the world.