The truth is that the other day it was time to convey our deep gratitude for Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The third Monday of January, which was January 17th 2022. As I was reading his quotes on the day of and preparing to write, I was actually disheartened and questioned his words. The tiredness, overwhelming and burdensome from the health pandemic, feeling strained – the burden was simply to great to bear. But throughout the time from January 17th his words of, “Our lives end the day we become silent about things that matter” Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. echoed, as I reflected upon the fire scenes from the Bronx apartment fires, New York, and the latest rounds of shootings in New York and Houston. The need to write became abruptly necessary.
I don’t think that the former part of the feelings expressed are unnatural, especially because the repetitive cycles will make us feel exactly that, pending our situation / circumstances. Tired, burdensome, overwhelmed with emotion and much more. We can connect this idea to the rhetoric of political leaders with the current situation in Ukraine and Russia. As we hear and read: #istandwithukraine #istandwithrussia. Maybe in times of war a nation must decide which side to take? But we can also think from a diplomatic stand-point. Should we side with one or the other? And of-course dialogues are cyclical and repetitive of I stand with Palestine or I stand with Israel.
We could delve further in-terms of Russia’s associations with Syria, the trade sanctions from the former Trump administration, but then there are also recent efforts of the Biden Administration, that held the Biden and Putin Summit, termed as high stakes in Geneva, Switzerland, where the headquarters of The International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC) exists. It is important to look at all facets when formulating a political view / opinion. Current events could serve as an estimate / measure for the outcome from the summit?
It is with these words I would like to observe Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. day. We all have a dream, the quest is how to keep ones dream alive especially in turbulent times. I wish all the best to the individuals, families and communities that are affected with the Apartment fires, the recent string of police shootings. As well to wish for peaceful resolve in Europe from the Ukraine – Russia situation. I have especially included Henri Dunant as the featured image of this blog post as a reminder for the basis formulation of the IFRC. “Dunant was deeply shocked. He could not bear to witness the horrific treatment of humans between humans” (Hussain, 2020).
Dedication: Kobe Bryant his daughter Gianna, and all members who were tragically killed during the Sikorsky S-76B Helicopter Crash on the 2 year anniversary of this tragedy.
For further information and complete thoughts please read the following blog posts:
- BIDEN | PUTIN SUMMIT.
- WORLD REFUGEE DAY!
- POLICE OFFICER JASON RIVERA.
- DEPUTY CONSTABLE CHARLES GALLOWAY.
- SGT. RAMON GUTIERREZ
- POLICE OFFICER WILBERT MORA
- MAKING THE CASE.
- MLK DAY.
Helpful Links
- ABC NEWS | 17 dead, including several children, after dozens injured in NYC fire: Officials
- The New York Times | Fire in Bronx Apartment Building Kills At Least 19
Reference | Hussain, S. S. (2020). An Analysis of International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC). Humanitarian Organization, and Mission within the National Society of Venezuela. [Unpublished Manuscript]. The Chicago School of Professional Psychology.
Notes: These thoughts were originally hand-written on January 26th 2021.
With Love & Kindness! 🙂
{HEART'S, FOREVER!} 