Me when I was young and full of potential.
Note: I found this little nugget from the early 80’s and against my better judgment I am sharing it. Consider it my way of celebration the King Holiday. The quality is a little poor but it came from a tape that is roughly 20 years old.
Many years ago, in the great state of Louisiana, a teacher needed a student to recite Martin Luther King Jr’s “I have a Dream” speech during an elementary school presentation. She turned to her best option at the time, a skinny, uncoordinated kid who liked to read and talk (sometimes too much). For the next few weeks, this young man spent countless hours reading the transcript and listening to a recording of that famous speech. Not exactly the most entertaining way to spend your afternoon but the threat of a paddling was good motivation.
All that practicing must have worked because over the next seven years he performed that speech for schools, churches and civic groups. And after all this time he still remembers a little bit of it.
Young Channing had a lot of potential back then. I wonder what happened to him. I hope he achieved his goal of becoming President of the United States or a member of the G.I. Joe Team.
Enjoy you MLK Day. Remember to keep his dream alive and don’t be afraid to chase your own.