Journey XIV Week 2
Bold, Brave and Ageless Inspiration

The BCS National Championship Football Game, Pasadena, California. While attending the National Championship football game I was entertained and humored by this enthusiastic Texas fan that went to great lengths to ignite the crowd. Several times throughout the game he would crawl on his buddy's shoulders and wave his shirt over and over again. Crazy? Maybe. Under the influence? Possibly. Exercising his freedom, expressing passion, and creating a high quality moment that made memories that will last a lifetime? Absolutely!!

“The quality, not the longevity, of one's life is what is important.” — Martin Luther King

Action: Celebrate the ageless inspiration of Martin Luther King by embracing and exercising your unlimited freedoms today, tomorrow and for the rest of your life.

Monday, January 18th is Martin Luther King Day, a holiday in honor of a civil rights leader whose inspiration, impact and influence is infinite in our country and even around the world.

I honestly do not spend as much time remembering our heros and celebrating their momentous roles as I should. I respect and recognize the holidays, have the news on, and listen to the commentary while I'm buzzing around my house, but I never take the time to stop, truly embrace and observe the actual celebrations.

Living in an era where information is literally at my fingertips, how is it possible that I don't spend more time learning and getting involved? It's the amazing irony of our time. Is my life too comfortable? Probably. Do I take my freedoms and civil rights for granted? Of course. Can this lead to apathy, one of my greatest fears? No doubt!

With information at my finger tips, I decided to take the first step in continuing my necessary education and combat potential apathy by “googling” Martin Luther King and some of his most memorable and profound quotes. While he has hundreds, I wanted to share these five with you:

“Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”

“Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.”

“The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character—that is the goal of true education.”

“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.”

“Life's most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?’”

As mentioned and discussed last week, we will “take flight” during Journey XIV. This experience is going to be a personal journey with many different and intentional steps along the way during which you'll receive continuous support and encouragement. During this week and the week to come however, and in honor of one of our faithful, brave and courageous leaders, Martin Luther King, I feel it is appropriate and honorable that we do our best to honor his legacy and dream by exercising our infinite freedoms such as: moving, training and fueling our bodies to allow us to be strong, flexible and healthy for living a high quality life; opening our minds and filling them with truth, optimistic and continuous knowledge that creates empowerment; and replacing jaded and fearful memories with new and joyful relationships and experiences to free our spirits to live and love everyone BIG.

I am thankful for the many heros that came before us, are upon us, and will come after us. I'm thankful for their divine and ageless leadership to pave the road and inspire us to grow and reach our greatest potential as mothers, wives, professionals, philanthropists, caretakers, grandmothers, citizens and anything else that is our hearts desire.

With fun community celebrations and events taking place throughout Austin tomorrow, I think I will participate in the MLK festivities tomorrow afternoon, after iGniting. I'd love to have company! After all, it is a holiday, and after watching the video below I hope you to will be compelled to honor a bold, brave and convicted hero.

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