Waking up to the true freedom of the human spirit against all odds

"I Have a Dream" is a public speech that was delivered by American civil rights activist Martin Luther King Jr. during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom on August 28, 1963, in which he called for civil and economic rights and an end to racism in the United States. Delivered to over 250,000 civil rights supporters from the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., the speech was a defining moment of the civil rights movement and among the most iconic speeches in American history. Under the applicable copyright laws, the speech will remain under copyright in the United States until 70 years after King's death, through 2038. Sorry for audio-video sync problem"

(above is the accompanying note on the "Rare Facts" YouTube channel)

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"... but we would dishonor those heroes as well to suggest that the work of this nation is somehow complete. The arc of the moral universe may bend towards justice, but it doesn't bend on its own ..."

(President Barack Obama)

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Early this morning, the words "free at last" appeared in my thoughts and led to this post.

At the beginning of April 2020, a few days before the anniversary of the day Martin Luther King, Jr., was murdered in 1968, I woke up from a horrific nightmare of mindless violence which included abject isolation and fear.  We all have dreams of freedom, and we all have unspeakable nightmares.  During these past months, it is a series of nightmares that have shown me what I cannot ignore when I am awake.

Some dreams and nightmares are over.  Some follow us into all of our waking moments.  We do not have to live in fear.  This morning I remembered this message, also from Martin Luther King, Jr., in 1968:

"... And then I got into Memphis, and some began to say the threats, or talk about the threats that were out of what would happen to me from some of our sick white brothers. Well, I don't know what will happen now. We've got some difficult days ahead. But it really doesn't matter with me now because I've been to the mountaintop. And I don't mind. Like anybody I would like to live a long life. Longevity has its place, but I'm not concerned about that now. I just want to do God's will, and He's allowed me to go up to the mountain, and I've looked over and 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. So I'm happy tonight, I'm not worried about anything, I'm not fearing any man. Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord."

Our religion is the traditions of our ancestors - the dreams of our old men, given them in solemn hours of the night by the Great Spirit; and the visions of our sachems, and is written in the hearts of our people.

Chief Seattle

Finishing "Mandala #22: Koan/Prayer For Our Children" in the context of August 17-28, 2016

On August 17, two young men who are expert window installers came early in the morning to install a new window in my bedroom as part of an energy-saving project for all the units in the condominium complex where I live. In order for them to install the window, I had to move my bedroom furniture so that there would be 4 feet of space away from the window, giving them room for them to do their work.  I also had to take the first of two days off from self-employment because of the noise involved in the installation and the need to remove furniture at the other end of my home, including the home office where I make my living, so that they could install the remaining 6 windows on August 18. It was 90 degrees on my porch that day.  The empty space felt so very peaceful.  After the window installers arrived, I left for several hours. Returning to find the new windows installed, I began the process of moving my furniture back into place.

After my home office was set up again, I looked at the empty space remaining and made a decision to let go of the futon couch I bought when I moved here in 1984.  That's the futon sitting next to my front door, waiting for the Habitat for Humanity people to pick it up on September 7.  What a relief to have more room next to my art and music table in the space where the futon used to be! Then I bought myself a meditative-looking elephant and took a picture of her sitting with the smiling Tyrannosaurus Rex that I bought a year ago when I began the experience of being self-employed.  They are sitting on one of the caned chairs that my mother's parents bought when they were first married in the early 1900s.  Behind them are the new windows.

The Hebrew letters spell Hallelujah.  I especially like the letters that look like two giraffes.  On the morning after I put the futon outside my front door, I opened the door and found a package there.  Inside was a surprise gift from one of my oldest friends from my growing up years on the San Francisco peninsula -- a peaceful-looking Buddha that she had determined that I might like as much as she had for many years and was ready to let go of.  She is the friend who took me to a Buddhist celebration when we were in high school.  I found a place for the Buddha on top of the shelves next to my bed and photographed the inscription for her and her husband to translate for me.  She hadn't noticed the inscription and was curious to know that it said.

Yesterday was cooler than the previous days.  There is that fall feeling in the air.  My favorite time of year has arrived.
 
This morning I finished "Mandala #22:  Koan/Prayer For Our Children."  It has been almost two months since I began working on it.

May our children be like birds with roots nesting in trees with wings.

August 28, 1963 -- The March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom: