By Jennifer Ju
Facing Ourselves
The start of the new year is often filled with resolutions designed to cultivate personal growth. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech, which he delivered on Aug. 8, 1963 on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, has many themes which I believe are useful to ponder as we decide what reality we wish to cultivate.
How aware are we? Our reality is often shaped by that to which we pay attention. What is important to you? What does equality and justice mean to you? What does it mean for others?
King’s speech observes the plight of minorities who have “languished in the corners of American society and find himself in exile in his own land.” During times of struggle, we may wish to escape reality by streaming shows and movies for hours or getting lost in social media or online shopping.
The desire to avoid discomfort is natural, and not something for which we should judge ourselves too harshly. However, ignorance is not bliss. Suffering remains, for both us and others, no matter how much we wish to ignore or deny it.
Perhaps in this new year we can seek a greater balance, to become more aware of the struggles and injustices that are the reality, and then proactively work for a better outcome.
Are we flexible in our thinking? Do we subject others to stereotypes before we get to know them? Do we believe it is “us versus them”?
King advises us to not paint entire racial groups with the same broad brush, for we “have come to realize that their destiny is tied up with our destiny.” He teaches us that we “have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom. We cannot walk alone.”
The illusion of separateness makes us forget that in our shared humanity, we have much more in common than that which sets us apart.
Do two wrongs make a right? King says no: “In the process of gaining our rightful place, we must not be guilty of wrongful deeds. Let us not seek to satisfy our thirst for freedom by drinking from the cup of bitterness and hatred.” He also implores us to “forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again, we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force.”
In these modern times, when we are focused on enhancing our looks, clothes, cars and homes, how much do we focus on nurturing the beauty and goodness of our soul? We must look deeply within ourselves and see if our actions are in alignment with our “soul force.”
What do we deserve? Often the answer may center around money or material goods, but we can ask ourselves this question regarding how we wish to be treated and how we wish to live our life.
King’s speech declares that the promise made by the founders of our great country, reflected in the Constitution and Declaration of Independence, that all be guaranteed “life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,” is a “promissory note to which every American” is entitled.
Are we pursuing happiness in a meaningful and sustainable way? Who or what do we allow to dictate our happiness? Does everyone have the same access to these rights?
Some minorities have adopted a “survival” mechanism of laying low, being compliant and not calling out microaggressions. Does this kind of strategy come at the cost of watering down these rights?
When is the time to seek the life we deserve? King advises that the time is now. In the pursuit of equality, he reminds us of the “fierce urgency of now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism.” King cautions that there will be a “rude awakening if the nation returns to business as usual.”
Although we live in a time of instant gratification, we regularly procrastinate in taking action, which can defer justice and equality for all. However, King declares, “Now is the time to make justice a reality for all of God’s children.” If we are hesitant to make changes, we must ask ourselves what holds us back and who or what benefits by our waiting.
How hopeful are we? King shares his hope for a better future for all, saying, “we refuse to believe that the bank of justice is bankrupt. We refuse to believe that there are insufficient funds in the great vaults of opportunity of this nation.” He also encourages us to “not wallow in the valley of despair,” declaring that “even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal….With this faith, we will be able to hew out of the mountain of despair a stone of hope. With this faith we will be able to transform the jangling discords of our nation into a beautiful symphony of brotherhood.”
No matter what the lies in our past, we have the power to create change in the present and in the future. Progress is a journey which is shaped by our faith and determination. No matter how small the steps may seem, we must continue to move forward.
King reminds us that “as we walk, we must make the pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back.” As we enter a new year, each of us with our limitations and strengths, struggles and triumphs, doubts and hopes, may we all seek to create a reality in which we can all prosper, and in which we can all be “free at last.”
Jennifer Ju, MD is a physician who is a graduate of the Brown University family medicine residency program. She is also an actor and writer who has performed in various theatres across the state and whose plays have been produced locally. Ju has also presented numerous online and in-person workshops on mindfulness, health and wellness for parents and children, as well as for pre-K-12 educators in New Haven and Fairfield counties.