“I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: ” We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.” – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
As Dr.Martin Luther King Jr. Day approaches, let it remind us that we all come from different backgrounds. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. lived the same way as we all did; treated unfairly because of his skin and as saw his brothers and sisters being treated the same way. It still remains a problem to this day, not just with skin but also with sexual orientation, or what religion we practice. It’s all about pointing first then asking questions, and by then it’s too late – the damage had already been done.
As someone who is a Muslim and who has to deal with a disability, opening yourself up to people can be the hardest thing that a person can go through since there’s so many questions and you feel as if you’re the only one in the entire world that feels this way. Let us take a minute if you have opened up to someone or if someone has opened up to you. I want to applaud you for doing so – that’s the first step towards acceptance and know that I love you for who you are. No one has the right to tell you otherwise.
As someone who didn’t accept for myself because what I had, I saw my disability the root of my excuses. When opportunities arise, I used to just shut them down without even giving them a try! I was selfish, I didn’t want to listen to anyone and I played the victim card. I never took responsibility for my actions and rather got stepped on instead of opening myself. However, I stopped listening to the victim inside of me and I started to open myself. Let me tell you that’s the best thing I ever did.
Even though what you’re feeling, who you are, what you have isn’t your fault but you still have to take responsibility. “Truths…self-evident…all men..equal.” It’s self-evident that we’re all different, we all have our struggles. And that, my brothers and sisters, is why we’re all equal.