Celebrating the Dream

It was Monday, January 21, 2008. The afternoon's weather was cold, a little windy and temperatures hit the lower 40's. Notwithstanding, a group of people gathered in the Southlake Carroll Senoir High School auditorium to celebrate the Life, Dreams and Vision of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
As the diverse assembly settled in their seats, the commemoration began with a soulful song of praise by the Saint John Baptist Church Choir. A prayer for Unity from the Sacred Writings of the Bahai Faith preceeded an invocation by a Pastor.

A welcome note, a Mayoral declaration and an overview talk by Jack Guillebeaux were the next items on the agenda. After a lively song saying "We are One Family" with me on the Djembe leading the crowd, it was time for the most emotional and heartwarming part of the program:
Recitation of excerpts of Dr. King's speeches by children ages 9- 13. As the children recited excerpts from these speeches:
"Eulogy for the martyred children,"
"From the mountain top,"
"MIA mass meeting at Holt Street Baptist Church,"
"Paul's letter to the American Christians," and
"Where do we go from here,"
I was mesmerized not only by the brilliance with which they recited the speeches, their intonation which invoked such a deeper understanding of the message contained therein, also by the spirit of joy and knowing with which these children conveyed that spirit of Dr. King's message; a call to harmony, a fight for the establishment of justice and equality, and the recognition of our essential existence as humans who need to be treated with respect and dignity.

Then came time for some action. Jack called on the assembly to regroup in fours to discuss on how we can build a better Southlake using Dr. King's dreams and vision. A sample of the groups' ideas were shared on what an individual, neighbors, family and the city can do to make a better Southlake. It is important to note that most of the ideas shared were actions that could be implemented immediately with no need of grandious plans, just a commitment to a reorganization of our lives. E.g invite a neighbor to dinner and have them taste a meal from your culture or another culture, say prayers together, make a deliberate effort to make friends and meet people who are different from you.

Another lively song(Beauty) which celebrates the beauty in the diversity of the world proceeded the Awards and Scholarship Ceremony. Three students were awarded prizes ($250-1000) for the essay they wrote on building a better Southlake using Dr. King's Dreams.

Closing comments, a prayer for America, and a performance by the Saint John Baptist Choir brought to a close this ceremony. The first sponsored by the Bahais of Southlake. As the friends gathered around enjoying their refreshments, I could see faces beaming with joy, gladness and a realization that meetings of this nature can be brought to a neighborhood level, filled with enthusiasm, a spirit to get to know our friends and neighbors at a more intimate level rather than superficial salutes and "How di's" as we walk our dogs along paved sidewalks.