There are some events that stay locked in your memory bank. For me, the death of Martin Luther King is one of them.
At the time I was a flight attendant for Delta Airlines on a trip returning to Atlanta from the west coast. Mid trip the pilot came on the PA saying, “I have sad news today. We have just received word that Martin Luther King was shot in Memphis. We believe the shot to have been fatal.”
For a brief moment, there was total silence, the kind that follows shock. In the following moments, however, there were differing responses, and I remember being saddened and surprised that anyone would express anything other than sensitivity to a senseless killing. Remember, though, the late 60’s were still sensitive when it came to civil rights, and not all people were appreciative of MLK’s efforts.
As I sit here thinking about that day, I once again feel sadness not just for his loss of life but because in some ways we learned so little from MLK’s nonviolent approach to easing tension between people.
As I look again at these words, my hope is for all of us to learn to stand peacefully in difficult times.
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Lulu's Musings 
A man that changed his nation’s point of views. I want to his statue in person so badly.
Thank you, Linda!!
I think the people who disappointed you then may not have totally disappeared….that’s the sad news.
I couldn’t agree more.
It is a sad post. Yes, it is so sad when it seems that we learned so little from MLK’s nonviolent approach to easing tension between people. Honestly, I do not know how he did it, I marvel that his family gracefully and genuinely forgave his murderer (assassin) and I am sad that he did not live longer to enjoy a peaceful life teaching others the way of nonviolence. It is a painful yet well written post which shows that you learned the lesson well. Thank you. My hope is for all of us to learn to stand peacefully in difficult times, too. It’s not easy once the fear and anger take over, or rather we surrender to this emotions.
Aah Linda.. so aptly said.. thanks for sharing your heart x j
1968 was an epic and tragic year. I was in my senior year of high school and shocked at the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy…
Thank goodness we’ve not had to relive the tragedies of the 60’s.
Thank you my dear … for sharing such beautiful sentiments.
xoxo
Tamera
Very well said.