Recently, I made a post on Facebook that I'd like to share with you. This post was inspired by the late Dr. King and how he was a model of, in my opinion, a catalyst. I decided to share this with you not because I find it profound or anything like that (could I be anymore smug if that were the case?) but because I think this provides a good preview into the types of things this blog will begin to address. I originally planned for this blog to be as vain and indulgent as possible by document my ever accomplishment (conceited, I know..) yet after the "Do you feel privileged?" post, I've had a lot of time to think about where I want this blog to go and I very much want this blog to become what I will call a catalyst for discussion and understanding. Granted I have a very limited view, so I'm hoping that in time I'll be able to bring in other perspectives from all over the country and (fingers crossed!) the world to speak about the elephants in the room. We keep preaching how we want a change, well I think it's time we start publicly and openly discussing and understanding that change. So without further delay, here's the sneak peak of where this blog will hopefully go...
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"In recognition of one of my favorite days of the year, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day, here's a quote that has stuck with since finding it in middle school and has had a huge impact in the way I understand finding some peace within ourselves and as a community.
"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that." - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
We've become so concerned with being right, that we've confused being right with being understanding. We think that if we support the "right" side, we're more aware because we understand what's right and what's wrong and that the only way to cure what's wrong is to enlighten others. Yet in doing so, we stop trying to understand others and try to get others to understand us because they are "wrong." Yet the point behind fighting for social justice, in my eyes at least, isn't to cure the world's imperfections with your image of utopia, but to understand all perspectives, learn from them, and find the medium that brings about a mutual understanding for all parties involved. Then, by bringing that mutual understanding, everyone can be an active agent for the change they need.
This same concept applies to finding our own inner peace. I know that for me in particular, I had this misconception that if I shrouded the truths of my story in darkness I wouldn't have to face them. Yet by cloaking the things that pained me most, I was consumed in its darkness and had to find release by finding distractions for my mind. I was unable to accept my past and move on from my own personal pains because I refused to acknowledge and understand them and I know that this way of internally coping with our life's curve balls is not just unique to me. It is something that, at some point or another, we've all dealt with and have tried to or maybe already have overcome. Yet, as we quickly find out, hiding from what shames us, only brings us more shame.
We can't keep criticizing others without seeing what we've done wrong ourselves. We can't keep claiming we have THE answer without exploring and understanding the other possibilities. We can't keep claiming we're "aware" until we realize how fully unaware we really are. To continue to make great leaps into light, we first have to admit that we've been in the dark. To continue to make grand leaps in love, respect, and peace, we first have to admit that we've been unloving, disrespectful, and chaotic. When we make those admissions as individuals, we become catalysts for change within our communities and families. We become catalysts for understanding ourselves and one another. We become catalysts for light and love."
- Sam
