Happy MLK Day – Content of Character

I have a dream
that my four little children will one day live in a nation
where they will not be judged by the color of their skin
but by the content of their character.

Today, much of our nation is enjoying a day off from work to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr. Day. And most of us know it is a holiday created to celebrate Dr. King’s birthday and to honor and remember his non-violent activism during the Civil Rights Movement in the struggle for equality and freedom for all.

There are many parts of his well-known “I have a dream” speech that have great value and meaning, but one particular part stands out as exceptionally critical and relevant to us in the world today.

His reference to character.

It was his dream that we be looked at for the content of our character, not for the color of our skin – or how short or tall we are, or what we look like, or whether we have the latest fashion, or where we live, or what kind of car we drive, or how little or much money we have, how many likes we have on facebook/instagram/twitter.

What is character?

The dictionary defines character as “the qualities that make up someone’s personality.”

What qualities constitute good character, then?

And are we willing to do the work needed to ensure we all, regardless of our politics or beliefs, rise to the level of having good character?

Here is a list of virtuous character traits –

I hope we all decide to make them a part of our character and to choose to embody these traits every day:

Kindness – being warm, considerate, helpful, pleasant, thoughtful and benevolent to ourselves and others.

Integrity – adhering to your principles consistently, regardless of who is watching

Compassion – having sympathy and empathy for the suffering of others and the desire plus willingness to take action to help relieve that suffering.

Honesty – being truthful to ourselves and others.  Being straightforward and trustworthy in all our interactions, relationships and thoughts.

Forgiveness – making the conscious and intentional decision to let go of resentments and blame (of ourselves and others) while realizing people generally are doing the best they can with what they have and given their current perceptions.

Loyalty – being faithful and devoted to loved ones, family, friends, coworkers, community and anyone with whom we have a trusting relationship.

Respectfulness – treating ourselves and others with decency, courtesy, kindness, dignity, deference and civility regardless of how others might treat us.

Generosity – the willingness to give time, energy or resources without expectation of something in return.

Responsibility – accepting and fulfilling our commitments, duties and obligations even when they are difficult or uncomfortable and being accountable for our behavior and choices.

Humility – being confident yet modest in your own self-importance and a freedom from pride or arrogance.

Courage – deciding to find the strength to face danger, discomfort or pain and carry on with a course of action, in spite of fear, because you know it is the right or best thing to do for yourself or others.

Fairness – being impartial and avoiding favoritism toward one side or another.

Perseverance – the ability and willingness to dig deep and remain steadfast and persistent in a course of action, belief or purpose even when it becomes difficult or uncomfortable in order to achieve a higher goal or outcome.

Politeness – having and demonstrating good manners, courtesy and etiquette with all people we encounter no matter how they might treat us.

Optimism – being hopeful and confident about the future and maintaining a positive attitude so that you can find and see the good in any event, person or situation.

Reliability – being dependable, following through, and consistently doing what you say you will do so.

Conscientiousness – knowing that if something is worth doing, it’s worth doing well by being careful, thoughtful, efficient, organized and attentive.

Discipline – through good habits or willpower, having self control to follow through on difficult course of action that is right or avoid a pleasurable course of action when it is not.

Love – showing and expressing to ALL people that we care deeply for them through our words and deeds which are done wholeheartedly with openness and vulnerability.

We can’t control others, but we have great power over ourselves and we can influence others by how we choose to show up in the world.

Which of these virtues is already strong in your character?  Which ones are you committed to strengthening?

It doesn’t have to be a dream.

What if we all say what we mean and mean what we say?

What if we are all polite, fair and generous with everyone we encounter?

What if we lived conscientious lives with discipline, courage, loyalty, and responsibility where everyone knew they could rely on us?

What if we were forgiving and understanding that most people are doing the best they can even when they do things we might not like or agree with?

What if we all decide right now to show up each day with love, compassion, kindness, respect and humility?

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