Venezuela, MLK, and the Call to Leave Behind a Committed Life

As we approach the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, I’ve been sitting with his words — and with the weight many of us are carrying as we witness what’s unfolding in places like Venezuela and across the world.

Last week, while Michael and I were in Florida celebrating our anniversary, he asked me to recommend a Dr. King speech for a youth performance they were preparing for MLK Day. They were playing “How Sweet the Sound” by Jeremy Cohen, and one sermon came to mind immediately: “The Drum Major for Justice.”

In that sermon, Dr. King speaks plainly about how he hopes to be remembered. Not for success. Not for recognition. But for commitment.

“I’d like for somebody to say that Martin Luther King, Jr., tried to love somebody…
tried to be right on the war question…
tried to love and serve humanity…
a drum major for justice… a drum major for peace…
I just want to leave a committed life behind.”

I’m sharing this because with everything unfolding right now — from Venezuela to our own lives — you may be feeling angry, sad, overwhelmed, exhausted, or quietly energized. However you feel is okay. Truly. Feel it.

And then, when you’re ready, take inspired action.

Dr. King didn’t measure his life by whether he fixed everything. He measured it by devotion — to love, to justice, to humanity. That’s why I often speak of him as an Ancestor of all people, someone whose spirit still guides us when fear and division feel loud.

Winter is a powerful time to remember: we don’t have to do this work alone. Commitment doesn’t require hardness. It asks for presence, humility, and care.

If you’re curious about what it means to work with ancestors — not as an abstract idea, but as a grounded source of guidance, protection, and steadiness — I created a short, accessible offering to support that exploration.

A gentle introduction to ancestral connection during the Winter season, for people who want to stand for justice without becoming hardened or judgmental. 

No pressure. Just an opening.

Thank you for being part of a community of people who care deeply — about justice, about love, and about leaving behind a committed life.