What may seem like a long time ago to some and not so long ago to others, the birthday of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was signed off in legislation as a national holiday. Having been first observed in 1986, Monday, January 16, 2011 marks the 25th anniversary of the King federal holiday. As the holiday approaches, I ask myself what I will do to honor Dr. King’s legacy.
Dr. King once said, "life's most persistent and urgent question is: 'what are you doing for others?'"
Staying true to his philosophy, MLK Day has been dubbed a Day of Service for Americans of every age and background celebrate Dr. King through service projects that strengthen communities, empower individuals, bridge barriers, and create solutions. Just as others do across the nation, in years past I have dedicated this day as a day of serving my neighbors and my community. With so much chaos going on in the world today, I feel it is important for each of us to take a moment to show one another that we love and care each other.
Now that I am in a new city and working in the professional world, I must admit that I have thought about skipping my traditional day of service but have decided to celebrate in a different way this year. I plan to do 25 good deeds throughout the week ranging from stopping by the MLK March in Hilton Head on Monday during my lunch break to calling up a friend I haven’t spoken to in awhile. I plan to finish the week with a 25 year celebratory fitness challenge—5 rounds of 5 exercises lasting roughly 25 minutes.
If you are able, I encourage you to get out and volunteer, whether that is helping out with the local habitat for humanity, playing with the kids at your local Rec center or Boys and Girls Club, or volunteering at a soup kitchen. The point is to get the community together and to be active!
I’d love to hear how you plan to serve for the MLK day of service. Leave a comment or mention us on Twitter @HHHealth_H3! How will you celebrate your Day On, not off?
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