“The world is waiting
for your words.” 
Arvee Robinson

On Wednesday, August 28, 1963, when I was nine years old and preparing to begin fourth grade at St. Gabriel School in San Francisco, an estimated 250,000 people arrived in Washington, D.C. to attend the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, perhaps the most noteworthy event of the civil rights movement of the 1960’s. This monumental gathering was organized by civil rights leaders, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 

To make certain that the event ended punctually, each of the ten scheduled speakers at the Lincoln Memorial that day were limited to just seven minutes to convey their message to the crowd… and to the world. Dr. King was the last to speak.

The most memorable segment of the historic convocation, often replayed in media sound bites and studied in classrooms across the country, is Dr. King’s I Have a Dream speech. I was surprised to learn that these powerful words, etched in history and in the minds of most Americans, were not part of the original draft of King’s speech.

As Dr. King reached the end of his seven minutes, he sensed that something more was needed — something which articulated the vision of the civil rights movement, something that expressed the pride, courage, and determination of those committed to the cause. King ignored the seven-minute time limit and spoke passionately about his dream for the future of America. “I have a dream…”

King spoke for a total of nineteen minutes, inspiring America and the world with his hopeful vision for the freedom movement.

Learning this interesting tidbit of information about Dr. King’s speech, I started wondering what I would say if I had the opportunity to speak to the people of our nation and the world for just seven minutes. Some who know me well may assume that I would address the topic of gratitude. I certainly might, but there is so much more I’d like to say — but only seven minutes to say it.

I would want to speak of personal integrity, forgiveness, self-acceptance, and compassion. I would want to talk about the joys and challenges of fatherhood, personal responsibility, self-care, service to others, and the process of discernment. I would definitely mention our shared responsibility to seek the common good. Yes, there are many topics I would like to address, but in only seven minutes?

Despite the fact that I’ve given this question serious consideration, I still don’t know exactly what I would say. Seven minutes. That’s it. How could I best utilize this brief time to make a memorable impact on listeners?

I’ll end today’s blog post by turning the table and flipping the question right back to you. What would YOU talk about if you had the world’s attention for seven uninterrupted minutes? I’m seriously curious to know your response? If you have one, please share it with me via email at kmc43sjc@gmail.com.