Good morning all! So, I have a great deal to catch up on. When you last heard from me, I was in the city of Charleston. Since then, I've moved on through Athens, Georgia and Atlanta, Georgia and I am about to venture into Asheville, NC.
I arrived in Athens late Saturday evening and spend Sunday there as well. I was staying with a friend from college (aka Stuart) who goes to school at the University of Georgia (UGA). When I was planning my trip, I didn't anticipate or plan for the inherent nature of Sundays - everything is closed and everyone is content to sit and around and relax. Therefore, most businesses and local hang out spots were not open during my stay. However, this worked out to be a blessing as I was able to observe what people really did with their time as opposed to being absorbed by the more touristy aspects of the city.
Although it is flooded with major prepsters throughout the school year (this is what I was told by others), the people of Athens are predominantly an earth-friendly, hipster crowd. This was apparent in several ways. As my friend showed me around, he pointed out local community gardens and co-ops; we ate at a restaurant called "farm" that only used locally grown foods; Stuart and his friend spent the day creating their own furniture out of supplies they'd found in the area, and the streets were scattered with loitering musicians and dotted by small clubs and joints within which local talent shared their creativity. In spite of the MASSIVE football stadium sitting at the heart of UGA, Athens itself was a crunchy, down-to-earth place that encouraged simple living. My last comment, before I move on to Atlanta, is, in some ways, breaking news. Apparently, I HAVE AN ACCENT!
Sunday evening, Stuart and I ate dinner with several of Stuart's friends. I was talking with a couple of the girls, when one of them stopped to say, "You know you don't even have that much of an accent!", as if to say, "You definitely do have an accent, but for a Northern, it's not that bad!" I almost laughed aloud when she said this, because I, in turn, wanted to say, "No, no no...haven't you heard? It's you who has the accent!" Overall, the experience was a funny one, but it, once again, gently reminded me that not everyone, especially in the South, thinks from my perspective.
...on to Atlanta!
In Atlanta, I made two major stops, but I would like to speak to only one of them here - my time at the MLK Jr. historic site. I learned about Martin Luther King Jr. in school, and I've always admired his beliefs and aligned them with my own. I'd like to think that if I had lived back in the sixties, I would have supported such a man. Yesterday, however, I more deeply realized what King was about and was moved beyond words. In fact, I found myself constantly trying to hold back tears. Maybe it's because I'm older now, but what this man risked for the sake of what he could never truly know would come about was staggering.
He not only believed in a cause, but he acted on it without hesitation, day in and day out. I believe many of us like to assume that we have strong values and that we live by them each and everyday. I know I do. However, the images of buses being bombed, of people being hosed by police, of food and drink being thrown at others simply sitting at a counter took on new meaning. These people had lives beyond these images. They have parents, siblings, friends, and children. They were places where they could be safe and happy. Yet, Martin Luther King, who had many of these things himself: a wife, four children, a job he enjoyed, did not accept this to be enough and inspired others to rally behind his cause.
I am not yet a parent, but I do know that my own parents would do anything to ensure my safety and happiness and that of my siblings. I cannot assume what went through the head of a man like Martin Luther King, but I can imagine that he would have had the same sentiment towards his own sons and daughters. Yet, he continued to speak out, to make a name for himself, to expose himself to situations that were beyond his control. He took the chance that his children might grow up without a father. He took the chance that they themselves would be put in harms way, and yet I can find no fault with his actions. While standing there in the middle of a museum exhibit, I only felt awe. Can I say that I would do the same for what I believe in? I would like to think so, but at the end of the the day, I really can't be sure. Can you?
(Picture: The UGA football stadium. It sits 90,000 people!)
No comments:
Post a Comment