Keep Moving Forward

In honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day today, I looked up some of his quotes so, that I could somehow pay homage to a man who changed the world for all of us. There were so many good ones:

"I have decided to stick to love...hate is too big a burden to bear."

"Faith is going forward even when you can't see the whole staircase."

But, this one really stood out for me and is a great life lesson for us all.

"If you can't fly, then run. If you can't run, then walk. If you can't walk, then crawl. But whatever you do - you have to keep moving forward."

I love that. Life is all about moving forward. Too often, we get bogged down by our own worries, problems or burdens and it can be absolutely crippling. It is at those times, that we must look inside and find the strength to go on...to move ahead, even if it is at a snail's pace.

I remember the day I was diagnosed with MS. I sat there in disbelief in the doctor's office. I knew at that moment that I had two choices. I could go home, crawl into bed and pull the covers over my head and succumb to this disease OR I could learn as much as I could about the disease and how to manage/live with it and face it head on. Thank God, I chose Door #2.

I have known many people over the years with MS. It always amazes and saddens me when I hear them say things like "I never had children because I have MS" or "I have MS, so I can't run." We can come up with a lot of excuses to NOT live our lives but, the truth of the matter is that they are just that. Excuses. No matter what your burden is, you need to find a way to get the most out of your life. I'm not saying that everyone needs to run a marathon, but atleast get out there and get moving. You will be amazed where it will take you.

Happy Birhday, MLK...you were a wise man. I would have loved to have known you.