I remember the first time I got the opportunity to vote. It was 2014 and I was finally able to submit my ballot. I remember talking to my Dad and asking him who was important in this election; his response was “Google John Lewis.” His was a name you always heard about in Atlanta, but for some reason I had never learned about him. Later that week I walked into the voting booth sure of one name; John Lewis.
The congressman died on July 17th of this year. In the days before his death he wrote an Op-Ed for the New York Times. Published on the day of his funeral “Together, You Can Redeem the Soul of Our Nation.” is a piece that express hope and pride. I’d encourage everyone to read it.
Lewis’ life is a testament to two things, consistency and vision. For over 60 years the congressman worked towards something he believed in. In his own words, “Ordinary people with extraordinary vision can redeem the soul of America by getting in what I call good trouble, necessary trouble.” What are you willing to get into good trouble over?
Imagine knowing that you are dying and the struggle you dedicated your life to is roaring to life. You see that the masses are readopting what you’ve done everything for. You challenged society and took beatings again and again only to get back up and keep moving forward. As he was on his death bed he must have had nothing but pride & fulfillment. He stuck by one set of ideals his entire life and saw the torch passed along.
I urge you to take five minutes to read it a few times. It is an excellent way to check your north star. It begs the question am I moving towards something or just moving. “I urge you to answer the highest calling of your heart and stand up for what you truly believe.”
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3 replies on “Good Trouble”
Thoughtful and thought provoking!
Well written and so appreciate that you shared a personal story of a great leader and that you were guided to him by your dad!
We die daily, and when we awaken, we are born again. Each day that we are blessed with freedom to live, we have the power to redeem our past. Julian, you don’t know me from our Mother Eve’s generations of mutual siblings, and while writing this birthday blessing, I laugh. Reminiscing you in your youth, running around raw with reckless abandon, a “free spirit.” And while I look at present day images of the academic and athletic achievements your father has shard with me, and read your blog, I see you have evolved to conservatively package that expression of freedom into a man, capable of expressing wisdom through mental, spiritual and emotional thought. In addition to your life experiences, Edwin, has truly passed the torch of manhood, and the way he speaks of his father…legacy. Thank you for reiterating “Good Trouble,” I believe your discernment and call to action, will be among the hands that pull the bell that freedom rings, as you glide over the hurdles of life, you create. Happy Birthday Julian.