Posted in A bit of history, Earth, Exploring, Family, Gifts, Grandparenthood, Gratitude, Photography, Portals & Pathways, Quotes, Spirit, Travel, Walking & Wandering, Weather, Winter

Love harmonizes

Posted on by Robin
Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial. Washington, D.C.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial. Washington, D.C.

Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that.  Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that.

~ Martin Luther King, Jr., A Testament of Hope:  The Essential Writings and Speeches

"Out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope."
“Out of the mountain of despair, a stone of hope.”

Going back to the D.C. trip, we left the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial (you can read about that here if you’re just getting caught up) and continued walking along the Tidal Basin (in West Potomac Park) to the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial.  This will be a short post because we didn’t spend a lot of time there.  I wish we had.  But it was chilly and windy, and we were exposed to the elements at this memorial.  (You can see people huddling over to the right in the image above.)  This is another memorial I’d like to go back and visit someday so I can spend more time reading the words of this great man, and appreciating the peace and beauty of the memorial.

The mountain of despair.
The mountain of despair.  (There were very few people out there, but I’m pretty sure almost all of those present managed to be photographed by me.)

The King Memorial is envisioned as a quiet and peaceful space.  Yet drawing from Dr. King’s speeches and using his own rich language, the King Memorial will almost certainly change the heart of every person who visits.  Against the backdrop of the Lincoln Memorial, with stunning views of the Tidal Basin and the Jefferson Memorial, the Memorial will be a public sanctuary where future generations of Americans, regardless of race, religion, gender, ethnicity or sexual orientation, can come to honor Dr. King.

~ Harry E. Johnson, President and Chief Executive of the memorial foundation

Front view.
Front view.

Hatred paralyzes life; love releases it.  Hatred confuses life; love harmonizes it.  Hatred darkens life; love illuminates it.

~ Martin Luther King, Jr., A Testament of Hope: The Essential Writings and Speeches

Thank you for dropping by today.  You can read more about the memorial here and there.

View of the Jefferson Memorial from the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial.
View of the Jefferson Memorial from the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial.

Be good, be kind, be loving.  Just Be.  🙂

Today’s joys:  A peaceful and flowing morning yoga practice; writing Morning Pages again; chatting with a friend; playing with Bella and Izzy; a walk to the dock.

Author:

Robin is... too many things to list, but here is a start: an artist and writer; a photographer and saunterer; a daughter and sister and granddaughter; a friend, a partner, a wife, a mother, and a grandmother; a gardener, a great and imaginative cook, and the creator of wonderful sandwiches.

30 thoughts on “Love harmonizes”

    1. I didn’t know about it, either, Nancy. We were at the Jefferson Memorial, looking across the Tidal Basin, wondering what the huge white mound was (the “stone of despair’). It looked like a large pile of snow that someone had separated. M and I both wear glasses so maybe someone with keen eyesight would have recognized it as a sculpture. I hope to get back there again to explore some more. 🙂

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  4. I wonder if this statue was left in the ‘appearance’ of an unfinished piece to mirror the fact that Dr. King’s life was cut short, and potentially left unfinished, depending on how you(plural) view death. Either way, I’m sure if Dr. King were still with us today, he would be honored that you have heeded (and are spreading) his message.

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    1. Thank you, Marcy. 🙂 That’s an interesting thought. I don’t know the story behind the statue and the memorial. I’m looking forward to learning more about it.

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  5. I have no idea how I will feel when I get to Washington D.C., but I hope to feel wonderful things. I have to say, I really like the Martin Luther King, Jr. sculpture. Just the vision of it really appeals to me.

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    1. It is a very appealing sculpture, CM. D.C. brings up all kinds of feelings/emotions, depending on where you go. The hardest thing for me about D.C. are all the homeless people, especially during the winter months when there are barefoot people sleeping on the street vents, trying to catch some heat.

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            1. You’re welcome, CM. During my first trip to D.C. as an adult, I encountered a lot of homeless people, many asking for money. At first I gave out a dollar here and a dollar there, and realized that I could not afford to give everyone money no matter how much I wanted to. My husband suggested I pick up a cup of coffee or soup to go or a sandwich instead, and give those away. I wish I could do more. I wish our society could do more. I don’t know what the solution is, but do know the people I’ve given food to have always been grateful, and I feel gratitude to them, too.

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  6. We were there two years ago in May and got to read all the writings on the wall. Was very inspirational. Of all of these images I like the first one…just Dr. King and the mountain.

    I hope you got to Roosevelt’s as well…I really love that one too.

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    1. I’d like to go back and read all the writings, Dawn. We really did rush through it. We did get to Roosevelt’s memorial, but the water features were not on so that’s another one I’d like to revisit.

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  13. Pingback: Time traveling | breezes at dawn

Comments are delightful and always appreciated. I will respond when I can (life is keeping me busy!), and/or come around to visit you at your place soon. Thank you!

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