inspiration

On Martin Luther King Jr.

Apr 4, 1968 – Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated at the age of 39.

“Let no man pull you low enough to hate him.”

“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”

“Now, I say to you today my friends, even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: – ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.’

“…And I’ve looked over, and I’ve seen the promised land. I may not get there with you, but I want you to know tonight that we as a people will get to the promised land. So I’m happy tonight. I’m not worried about anything. I’m not fearing any man.”  (Speech in Memphis, April 3, 1968, the day before King was assassinated)

On Attitude

Mount Everest

Sir Edmund Hillary was the first man to climb Mount Everest. On May 29, 1953 he scaled the highest mountain then known to man-29,000 feet straight up. He was knighted for his efforts.

He even made American Express card commercials because of it! However, until we read his book, High Adventure, we don’t understand that Hillary had to grow into this success.

You see, in 1952 he attempted to climb Mount Everest, but failed. A few weeks later a group in England asked him to address its members.

Hillary walked on stage to a thunderous applause. The audience was recognizing an attempt at greatness, but Edmund Hillary saw himself as a failure. He moved away from the microphone and walked to the edge of the platform.

He made a fist and pointed at a picture of the mountain. He said in a loud voice, “Mount Everest, you beat me the first time, but I’ll beat you the next time because you’ve grown all you are going to grow… but I’m still growing!”

Sourdough Climbers

The first people to climb Mount McKinley did it to win a bet.

It all started when a group of guys were talking in a Fairbanks saloon one cold November in 1909. Dr. Frederick Cook had just published a book claiming he made it to the top of Mount McKinley. Those at the bar were all convinced the famous explorer was lying. Alaskans didn’t believe some fancy man from the city could have done it. The bar owner said he didn’t believe anyone could do it.

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