By: Rodney David

My biggest inspiration in history has to be Marin Luther King Jr. He was born in
Memphis, Tennessee on January 15th, 1929. For those who didn’t know, Martin Luther King Jr. was a Baptist minister and social activist that played a highly distinctive role in the American Civil Rights Movement. He was known for his speeches and his non-violent protests. Sadly, he was assassinated on April 4th, 1968.

In 1948, Martin Luther King Jr. received a degree in sociology from Morehouse College.
He also attended the liberal Crozer Theological Seminary in Chester, Pennsylvania. He excelled in all of his courses, and was valedictorian in his class in 1951 and was elected student body president. After attending there he got a fellowship for graduate study.

I look at King as a mentor and hero of his time; he was a firm believer in the golden rule
and that all men and women were equal. He mentioned that all people were equal no matter the color, race, or appearance. The golden rule says, “Do onto others as you would have them do onto you.” With that being said, I feel that goes for anyone and everyone no matter who they are or what they believe in: preference, personality, and any differences that one might have.

I feel like bringing light to King’s beliefs and dreams will help unite our communities in
many prosperous ways. If we have the opportunity to make a difference we should. Every one of us has a power in us that can change things for the better. In his dream speech he mentioned, “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” With that being said, things are already changing for the better: racism isn’t as bad and people of color are treated more like equals today than they have ever been.

If we could all live by King’s dream, there wouldn’t be as many cases of discrimination,
hate crimes and judgmental attitudes. I know that each of us have either, been bullied, seen bullying, or someone who has bullied. If we all lived by the golden rule and King’s dream, that wouldn’t happen.

I am a person that supports the golden rule, not just because it is right, but because it makes me feel better. I feel like I am more wanted that way and will end up being remembered for positive things.

I am sure everyone wants to be remembered for something; after all, everyone leaves a
mark on the world, big or small, good or bad. I choose to do something that betters myself. Hopefully, someday, I will be able to do something that changes society or at least the way people think about psychology and the things that come along with it.

I am a person that believes and is trying to bring unity to the world, and I am also
wanting to shed light on my beliefs and my feelings towards things. Thanks to King speaking up about his beliefs and the golden rule, we have seen strives in society and people’s perspectives. I wish I could do that too.

People need to focus on the way they interact with others. If they don’t, they are probably
not going to have many friends, especially if they are bitter about things. I feel it is important to have healthy and frequent encounters with people, even if it is just online. Any form of positive connections with people are good ones. The best thing to do is accepting others for who they are and attend other groups or events out in your local community.

There are many ways to help out. Heck, you can even make a difference in your home
thanks to social media. It doesn’t have to be just personal or daily things that you post. You can always start a group of some sort on a social media page to make a change around you and in your community.

I actually have a group called: “Positive Discussions: Tell Me Your Perspective” on
Facebook. I am also a chapter leader for Youth MOVE Southeast-Indiana. Doing stuff online is the easy way to get everyone together. You could also make meeting days, events, and try to raise money for your cause.

I know that Social media can be an easy way to stay in touch, but there are better forms
of communication than just being on the phone or typing to someone on a social media page. The best way to keep in touch and have a strong connection with those you are close to is done in person. After all, hanging out and going somewhere to do something keeps things going strong for you and those you are interacting with.

For me I enjoy being around people, sharing my thoughts, and communicating with
others. Just remember, things can be so much better if you have close connections. Also, I feel like life is worth living no matter what. After all, life is all about the journey and the rollercoaster ride that it planned for us to enjoy.

If you ever see or can tell someone is struggling, please help them out. You never know
when you might save a life … After all, “The time is always right to do what is right”.