Dr Boyce Morning Thought – 6/17/09

I woke up this morning thinking about a radio interview I was doing with a station in Pensacola, Florida. The host, a guy named Bob Hill, planned to ask me about my speaking topic for this weekend. The group’s name is “Movement for Change” and their theme is that “Freedom isn’t Free."

I agree with this assessment with all my heart. I wake up thinking about this every single day. For this particular interview, here were the thoughts I shared with Mr. Hill:

1) Don’t look to others for Black leadership. The greatest Black leader in the history of the world is the one you see in the mirror. Before you look to see what Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton or anyone else can do, never underemphasize what you can do. That’s where true change is created.

2) Not seeing your contribution doesn’t mean the contribution is made. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. didn’t live to see 95% of the impact of his life’s work. A grandmother may not live to see the impact that her love has on her grandchildren. The contribution is made because you MADE IT, not because you SAW IT. You should always keep moving on faith.

3) We can’t all change THE world, but we can certainly change OUR world. A bad and abusive father can impact his family for generations. Similarly, a loving and inspirational father can create a lasting impact on the actions of his children, grandchildren and others with this impact influencing dozens of others who seemed to be beyond his reach. Don’t feel that you are powerless because you can’t change US policy. Focus on enlightening the souls around you.

4) An educational institution is sometimes the worst place in the world to get an education. This is especially true for African Americans, who are typically educated to adopt the mindsets of our historical oppressors. All the while, you should spend your life being educated and continuously growing. The day you stop growing is the day you've committed yourself to dying.

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