Over the course of MLK weekend I saw two movies that
inspired me and reminded me once again of the fortitude and resilience of the
human spirit. Both movies--Patriot’s Day and Hidden Figures-- were based on
true events. The people portrayed
demonstrated integrity, honor, and love through their actions, words, and way of
life.
“Patriot’s Day” centers on the April 2013 Boston Marathon
bombing and the victims and first responders involved. The movie takes the viewers through the attack
and the ensuing week as the manhunt continues for the two suspects. First responders worked tirelessly to serve
the needs of the hurt and wounded and to protect the citizens of Boston and the
surrounding areas. Police officers,
firefighters, EMT’s, ambulance drivers, doctors, nurses, surgeons, and friends
and neighbors pulled together to protect, serve, care for, and comfort. The
bombings were committed by two men who were filled with hate and wanted to
harm, but the response by the community was one of love and light. The people
who lost their limbs and went through numerous surgeries and years of
rehabilitation, and who live to walk and even run marathons with artificial
limbs are beacons of light and hope. What they endure daily with a positive
attitude demonstrates the resilience of the human spirit.
"Hidden Figures" is about three incredibly bright and strong
women who worked for NASA in the 1960’s. Not only were they brilliant as a
mathematician, engineer, and a programmer, but they lived in segregated
Virginia during the Civil Rights movement. They worked with honor and integrity even though they
were deemed inferior by many of their co-workers and society in general. They remained true to themselves and their values and they fought without
violence by using their minds and their skills to make a difference in the NASA
program. I cannot begin to imagine or
relate to what they went through in their lives to overcome the prejudice and
hatred surrounding them. And yet they all persevered and used their
intelligence and God given gifts to change the course of history.
I came away from both these movies inspired by everyday
heroes. All the people portrayed in both movies were simply doing their
everyday jobs to the best of their abilities. At the time they didn’t get
recognition, nor did they demand it. They simply used their gifts and skills to
help humanity.
We live in a broken, shattered, dark world. We can get
overwhelmed with anxiety and fear. We
can lose hope and get dragged into the sludge of despair. John writes in his letter to early
Christians: “This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you:
God is light and there is no darkness in Him at all.”
If God is light, and God
is in US, then there IS light in this dark world. There IS hope.
I am inspired by people who came before me and used their gifts,
skills and talents to make an everyday difference in their everyday world.
Some received fame, but most did not. They simply lived out
light and hope. Many people today are fearful about the
changes to come in our nation and world, but I am choosing to remember those
who have made a difference by loving and living in light. I will focus on those
who persevered despite the darkest circumstances around them. Light overcomes
darkness. Always.
Though the world may seem dark to you today, find hope in the
words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
“I have a dream that one day every valley shall be exhalted,
every hill and mountain shall be made low, the rough places will be made plain,
and the crooked places will be made straight, and the glory of the Lord shall
be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together.
This is our hope. This is the faith that I will go back to the
South with. 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.
With this faith we will be able to work together, to pray
together, to struggle together, to go to jail together, to stand up for freedom
together, knowing that we will be free one day.
This will be the day when all of God's children will be able to
sing with new meaning, "My country 'tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of
thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the Pilgrims' pride, from
every mountainside, let freedom ring."
We have a long way to go, but he had hope and so do I.
2 comments:
Beautifully written Kirsten!
Love this!!
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