19th Annual MLK Day of Community Service

In hindsight, it may have been naïve of me to bill last year's event as "the first but hopefully the last" of the drive-through variety Day of Community Service.

Honestly, it’s not the first time my optimism has ended up making me feel this way. But if the alternative is to be a pessimistic skeptic, well, what was it that Dr. King was once quoted as saying? Oh yes: I have decided to stick with love.

If there’s anything I learned in the past two years, it’s that humans can adapt. Almost anything that was done before the pandemic can still be done now with just a little extra planning. Some of the adaptations even make sense to become permanent changes; for example, keeping virtual options available to make events more accessible. Spending more time visiting one another outdoors. Wearing masks when we feel under the weather.

Since I am firmly dedicated to choosing optimism and love, I can confidently look ahead to this new year not with dread but instead as an opportunity to rebuild in a way that values adaptation, inclusivity, kindness and community. As Dr. King also once said:

We have before us the glorious opportunity to inject a new dimension of love into the veins of our civilization.

I am replacing all of my worries about pulling this year's event together with the joy of knowing that I belong to a community filled with generous and loving optimists who embrace this glorious opportunity with me. Thank you for being a part of it.