FIGHTING FOR WHAT YOU BELIEVE IN…..

“Better to die fighting for freedom then be a prisoner all the days of your life”…Bob Marley

FIGHT FOR YOUR DREAMS

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, was one of the most influential leaders of the 20th Century.  He spent over a decade fighting for social justice and equal rights by helping to spearhead the civil rights movement from 1955 until his assassination in 1968.

On April 3, 1968, on the eve of his death, Dr. King gave a speech to an overflowing crowd filled with sanitation workers who were on strike in Memphis, Tennessee.  In the speech, which became known as the “Mountaintop Speech”, Dr. King said the following, “….But it really doesn’t matter with me now, because I’ve been to the mountaintop … I’ve seen the Promised Land. I may not get there with you. But I want you to know tonight, that we, as a people, will get to the Promised Land”.  Dr. King was assassinated the following day.

In life, sometimes there will be consequences for fighting for what you believe in, and sometimes those consequences can result in death or lead to various hardships in your life. However, if your fight happens to end in death, I hope that you will find comfort in knowing (as Dr. King did) that,“You can kill the dreamer, but you can’t kill the dream”…..Dr. Mr. Luther King Jr.

“Stand up for what you believe in, even if it means standing alone.” – Novak Djokovic

STANDING ALONE

“To fight” has numerous definitions to include: to gain by struggle, to resolve by struggle and to put forth a determined effort. There are many things in life that we may have to fight for such as: freedom, equality, and social justice. Sometimes our fight for these essential values is a collective journey, while at other times we may be a lone wolf.

One of the most powerful freedom fighters of all time is that of the daring abolitionist, Harriet Tubman, who escaped to freedom and also risked her life to lead others to freedom through the Underground Railroad. However, Tubman’s escape to freedom didn’t come without its consequences, and at times she would also find herself standing and fighting alone.  

When Tubman initially tried to escape, she attempted to do so with two of her brothers, who eventually had a change of heart during the process and decided to turn back, which forced Tubman to do the same. However, during Tubman’s next attempt, she traveled alone and was successfully able to make it to freedom.

Tubman worked as a conductor on the Underground Railroad for a little over a decade and helped many people obtain freedom to include many members of her family. However, her first husband (who was a free slave), never joined her. Eventually, they separated and they both remarried.

It is not uncommon for the things that we are fighting for to cause conflict with our loved ones. However, at the end of the day, if we are unable to compromise, then we have to determine if our “fight” is worth the potential risk of losing those things that are comfortable and familiar to us.

FIGHTING LIFE ON YOUR OWN TERMS

Fighting for what you believe in could also mean fighting to live your life on your own terms.

Joan of Arc was a peasant girl who became inspired to fight for her country’s freedom. Consequently, she was able to convince crown prince Charles of Valois to allow her to lead a French Army to fight against the Kingdom of England in the early 1400s during the Hundred Years’ War. However, during the war (and also despite many victories) she was captured and eventually burned at the stake for committing heresy because of her claim that she was divinely inspired to lead a French army.

Despite staring into the face of death, Joan’s faith never wavered and she also died believing that “Every man gives his life for what he believes … one life is all we have to live and we live it according to what we believe”..Joan of Arc

THE DAILY FIGHT AND THINGS WORTH FIGHTING FOR

Not every fight in our lives has to involve a physical, political, or social war. Sometimes the things that we fight for are intangible such as: honesty, integrity, or a peace of mind. Other things in our lives that are worth fighting for on a continuous basis are: your dreams, your principles, your loved ones, and a noble cause. And always keep in mind that “If you don’t fight for what you believe in then what are you living for”???

RESOURCES:

https://kinginstitute.stanford.edu/encyclopedia/ive-been-mountaintop
https://www.britannica.com/event/assassination-of-Martin-Luther-King-Jr/The-Mountaintop-Speech
https://www.history.com/news/harriet-tubman-facts-daring-raid
https://www.history.com/topics/middle-ages/saint-joan-of-arc#:~:text=With%20no%20military https://www.biography.com/military-figure/joan-of-arc