I heard Reverend C.T. Vivian speak last night on campus. He is a man who has probably seen more violence in his 60 or more years peacefully fighting racism (he is 86) than most people have experienced in their lives today. He has stood alongside Dr. M.L.K., Jr. throughout his career prior to his assassination. He has met a lot of hate, a lot of violence, a lot of fear. But he has never succumbed to these things. His love for people was evident the moment he walked on the stage, smiling and waving. He looked no different than I would expect my own grandfather to resemble but my first reaction before he even spoke a word was that this was a man who instills passion into others to be better. He made me feel that way just by the same genuinely joyous smile he presents in the picture to the left.
We meet few people like that in our lives. People who have so much love and compassion that just their presence makes you want to give for others. I believe the person you spend the rest of your life with should also be of this nature. I also believe a lot of things about romantic love but I have not experienced this emotion in a very long time. So what do I know? But I am digressing....
Rev. Vivian came to campus to speak about Dr. King and the way he presented him was with astounding humility despite his own great accomplishments through the course of his life and fervent admiration for Dr. King. I feel that he might be the closest to the Dalai Lama I will ever have the privilege of listening to. And it was fantastic. He never dwelled on the "awe" shocking things that may have happened to him, but on the love from himself, Dr. King, and others that persevered for people of all kinds. A girl asked him how Dr. King could have kept the MOTIVATION to always speak to others, answer questions, and remain patient. Rev. Vivian's response, though drawn out much longer, was basically that he just loved people too dang much.
"Radical love," he said, "is the only thing that can defeat radical hatred."
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