The Power of the Written and Spoken Word

Today we celebrate Martin Luther King Jr.  I was still a babe in the womb the day King was killed.

I never had a chance to meet him, speak with him or even follow him to the Mountaintop.  I graduated high school in 1986 and at the age of 18 I finally witnessed Martin Luther King recognized as a US Federal Holiday.

All my life King has been an influence to my family and me. I remember that we always had a picture of Martin on the wall growing up. A constant reminder of how far African Americans had come but how far we still had to go and that the dream was still attainable.

Every year my father would put on the 45 record and I would hear the voice of the man that I had only seen in black and white images plastered across our television set.

Most people know the famous 'I have a Dream' speech but King had more than just those words tucked away in his brilliant mind. There are quotes all over the place some known but most unknown.

I was struck by how keen his foresight into the world was and how much impact he made just by the using the simple spoken word. His words weren't carelessly written on a piece of paper made to look nice later on.

He spoke with care, compassion and passion.

All I'm saying is simply this, that all life is interrelated, that somehow we're caught in an inescapable network of mutuality tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly. For some strange reason, I can never be what I ought to be until you are what you ought to be. You can never be what you ought to be until I am what I ought to be. This is the interrelated structure of reality.

— Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

What was important then as it is now is that all of humanity must strive to come together. All of us are walking the karmic wheel of destiny, a never-ending cycle of life lessons.  We are like a diamond that have not been honed, ever changing and moving towards a brilliant light of compassion and selflessness. 

Writers more than anyone else have the power to bring the world to their knees. We can lift them to heights that know no boundaries with just our words. 

We must be careful that what we say today can shape the world of tomorrow and that we are all responsible for our actions when we cast our nets, they are far reaching. 

I have a dream because of Dr. Martin Luther King, my parents, and all those who came before and those who will come after I have long turned to dust. All those who will one day in the future speak words of wisdom that will move a nation and perhaps change the world. 

I leave you with the powerful words written by the lovely Patty Griffin singing her song 'Up to The Mountain Top'.

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Holiday's Celebrated in Scotland - Happy Hogmanay, Ne'erday and other traditions...

Happy New Year! Òg-Mhadainn!  What a lovely way to ring in the New Year with the pipes playing in the background and fireworks blasting off in one of the oldest cities in Scotland. All over the world we celebrated ringing in the New Year and Scotland is no slouch when it comes to a stylish celebration.

Here in America the big push is Christmas and even though New Years is a big celebration for us as well it is more like a culmination of the holidays.

In Scotland, Christmas was banned for 400 years and up until the 1950's Christmas day celebrations did not take place and therefore held no importance. So Christmas for the Scots is really more of a recent holiday. People went to work on December 25th as if it were just another day.

The real focus however was on the pagan rite Yule tide or Yules (Scandinavian). Hogmanay has many origins and influence (French, Flemish, and Scandinavian) but the celebrations tend to be the same.

In the New Year a dark male bearing gifts of coal, shortbread, black bun, salt and whiskey should be the first to cross the threshold of your door. This tradition is called ‘First Footing’. By following this tradition you will bring good luck upon your family.

In my household (both my parents are from the south - Virginia and South Carolina respectively) we have the yearly tradition of cooking black eyed peas and hammocks or ham for good luck. This tradition stems back to Civil War days in the south when the black eyed pea crop (a staple for livestock and eventually standard meals for slaves) survived General Sherman’s army destroying and stealing crops.

The black eyed pea left untouched became a source of food and a sorce of good fortune for those who survived Sherman's siege.  In the south this type of meal is called Hoppin' John. The meal can be served with collard greens and corbread. Tradition states that the blackeye pea could be a substitute for coins and the collards for green money. I've included a recipe if you would like to add this traditional culinary feast to your next New Year menu: http://southernfood.about.com/od/blackeyedpeas/r/bl30605m.htm

New Years Day or Ne'erday also had a tradition called Handsel day.

Handsel day or Handselling fell on the first Monday of the New Year. Traditionally an employer would give gifts to their employees and parents would also give gifts to their children. Handsel meant gift box. This tradition however is no longer practiced. Since Christmas is now celebrated in Scotland there would be no need to have an additional day of gift giving.

If you would like to create your own First Footing I have included links to making your traditional black bun, shortbread and my personal favorite, Selkirk bannock.

May you all have a happy, healthy and prosperous year!

http://www.rampantscotland.com/recipes/blrecipe_blackbun.htm

http://www.rampantscotland.com/recipes/blrecipe_shortbread.htm

http://www.rampantscotland.com/recipes/blrecipe_selkirk.htm