We all have the drum major instinct. We all want to be important, to surpass others, to achieve distinction, to lead the parade. And the great issue of life is to harness the drum major instinct. It is a good instinct if you don’t distort it and pervert it. Don’t give it up. Keep feeling the need for being important. Keep feeling the need for being first. But I want you to be the first in love. I want you to be the first in moral excellence. I want you to be the first in generosity.
Martin Luther King Jr.
Dear ones,
Today our country pauses to celebrate the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
I’ve written in a previous letter about the concept of “getting someone back” for wronging us, and posing the question about why we don’t put equal energy into repaying someone for doing right by us. This quote from Dr. King is one of my favorites, and one that I have returned to many times over the years to shape the man I want to be.
No matter what I’ve accomplishment with my life, my ultimate goal is to be remembered for unconditional love and unbridled compassion. Never forget that I love you, and that excludes no one.
Love,
