The Three Dimensions of a Complete Life by Martin Luther King Jr.

The Three Dimensions of a Complete Life by Martin Luther King Jr.

I had the wonderful and pleasurable opportunity this afternoon, to “re-listen” to one of my favorite Martin Luther King Jr. speeches, The Three Dimensions of a Complete Life (April 9^th 1967).  In it, King speaks to all of us in regards to how we can best live a complete life.

The first dimension is the “length of life” in which we are learning to love ourselves for who we are and the gifts that we are blessed with already.

But King doesn’t stop there, as he goes on to describe the second dimension of life which is the “breadth of life”, in which we are learning to love our neighbors as we love ourselves.

But he doesn’t stop there, as he goes on to describe the third dimension of life, which is the “height of life” in which we are reaching ever higher for a spiritual connection.

All of these things add up to helping us to live a complete life.

One of my favorite passages in the sermon is:

“What I’m saying to you this morning, my friends, even if it falls your lot to be a street sweeper, go on out and sweep streets like Michelangelo painted pictures; sweep streets like Handel and Beethoven composed music; sweep streets like Shakespeare wrote poetry; (Go ahead) sweep streets so well that all the host of heaven and earth will have to pause and say, “Here lived a great street sweeper who swept his job well.”

If you can’t be a pine on the top of a hill

Be a scrub in the valley—but be

The best little scrub on the side of the hill,

Be a bush if you can’t be a tree.

If you can’t be a highway just be a trail

If you can’t be the sun be a star;

It isn’t by size that you win or fail—

Be the best of whatever you are.

And when you do this, when you do this, you’ve mastered the length of life.” – Martin Luther King Jr.

I share this portion of the speech quite often when I’m speaking to young people in regards to getting together a “plan” for their lives, and also trying to realize the wonderful gifts that they’ve already been blessed with.  Of course, many of the youth that I work with, want to grow up to be professional athletes or entertainers, and that’s okay to have a dream (Martin Luther King Jr. had a dream, remember?), but we all need to realize the wonderful blessings that are already bestowed upon us, and to live our life to the very fullest.

Anyway, I thought I would share this with you since I was on my heart and mind to do so, and, to remind each and every one of us to strive to be the very best that we can be.

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James Donaldson is a Washington State University graduate (’79). After an outstanding basketball career with WSU, he went on to play professional basketball in the NBA with the Seattle Supersonics, San Diego/L.A. Clippers, Dallas Mavericks, New York Knicks, and Utah Jazz. He also played for several teams in the European Leagues in Spain, Italy, and Greece, and he toured with The Harlem Globetrotters to wrap up his career. James was an NBA All-Star in 1988 while playing center for the Dallas Mavericks. In 2006, James was inducted into the Pac-10 Sports Hall of Fame and also the Washington State University Athletic Hall of Fame. In 2010, James was elected as a board member for the NBA Retired Players Association.

James frequently conducts speaking engagements (motivational, inspirational, educational) for organizations, schools, and youth groups.

In 2010, James was the recipient of the NBA Legends of Basketball ABC Award, awarded for outstanding contributions in Athletics–Business–Community.

He believes in being a role model for success and professionalism to the scores of young people to whom he devotes so much of his time. He currently serves on several boards and committees and is a member of many organizations.

James believes in developing relationships that create a “Win-Win” environment for everyone involved, and in being the best he can be!

For more information about James Donaldson or to request he speak at your event, contact him at:

www.StandingAboveTheCrowd.com
[email protected]
1-800-745-3161 (voicemail & fax)

James Donaldson is the author of “Standing Above The Crowd” and “Celebrating Your Gift of Life” and founder of the Your Gift of Life Foundation which focuses on mental health awareness and suicide prevention, especially pertaining to our school aged children and men.

If you’re interested in having James come and speak to your group of young adults, business entrepreneurs, aspiring political and community leaders, and athletic teams, please contact him at [email protected] and or leave a personal message for him at 1-800-745-3161. Keep up with him and read about how he is reaching out and making a difference in the lives of so many around the world at www.yourgiftoflife.org