Coretta Scott King kept the dream alive

If we cut ourselves off from our passion, where’s our compassion going to come from?”

-- Matthew Fox

Coretta Scott King has passed away. This gracious, tenacious woman had such wonderful compassion for others. She had an unwavering and nonviolent stance for civil and human rights. There is no doubt about it -- she was a real special lady. We can learn from her compassionate and caring yet firm commitment to the dream of equality and justice for all people. As writer Maya Angelou said on hearing the news, “It’s a bleak morning for me and for many people, and yet it’s a great morning because we have a chance to look at her and see what she did and who she was.”

It was Coretta Scott King’s serenity that seemed to give power to her cause -- power that could have so easily died with her husband, Martin Luther King Jr. She steadfastly kept his dream alive with a passion and zeal underlying that serenity that fueled the many battles she so diligently -- and always in a non-violent manner -- fought. The serenity almost belied the fiery passion beneath that calm surface.

In a time when many of us become inured to the violence, murder, mayhem, and deceit around us, what passions will there be to fuel our compassion? If we go numb, as is often the case, become emotional “flatliners,” observers rather than doers, frustrated at our own seeming inability to make a difference, what then? It is far too “easy” to slip into indifference toward others and ourselves. Perhaps the “great morning” which Maya Angelou refers to is the reminder to all of us to stay in touch with our passions, to organize our lives around what matters most.

When we dare to be powerful (and I believe much of our power does come from our passions), all things become possible. Of course, as always, we are afraid of the unknown, the untried, or -- worse yet -- something we may have failed at before. When we dare to be passionate and powerful, it becomes less important that we are afraid. It is not that power and commitment and daring such as that shown by Coretta Scott King override fear. It is that there is an acceptance of fear as part of the process that leads to accomplishing the dreams and visions that mean so much. We can all make some difference.

As long ago as 1969, Coretta Scott King said, “Many despair at all the evil and unrest and disorder in the world today, but I see a new social order and I see the dawn of a new day.” Today, nearly 40 years later, many of us feel stirrings of that same despair. I hope this “great morning” we can be reminded by the passing of this strong woman of the possibility of a new day. I hope our own passionate fires can be stirred to action and to compassion and caring for ourselves and others. Perhaps we can carry on that vision of equality and justice for all people.

Marianne Williamson has said, “As we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”

* Cherril Doty is a creative life coach and artist, exploring the mysteries of life as they come. You can reach her by e-mail at cherril@cherrildoty.com.

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