Last week, in “Here Comes the Sun,” I wrote about the importance of being willing to change and accepting that things change.

Related to this topic, this week, I wanted to write about how although change can be scary, brave individuals can bring about positive change for others. On Monday, we honored Martin Luther King, Jr., and this brave individual is an example of someone who took many risks to bring about positive change.

During my 9th grade English class, we analyzed a song by U2 called, “Pride (In the Name of Love).” Although I had heard this song multiple times on the radio, it wasn’t until my English class when I learned exactly what the song was about.

Learning that the song was about Martin Luther King, Jr. completely changed my listening experience every time I have heard the song since then. It’s a completely emotional experience at the same time as an extremely inspiring one.

Here are the lyrics to the song:

Copyright © Universal Music Publishing Group

 

One man come in the name of love
One man come and go
One man come he to justify
One man to overthrow

In the name of love
What more in the name of love?
In the name of love
What more in the name of love?

One man caught on a barbed wire fence
One man he resist
One man washed up on an empty beach
One man betrayed with a kiss

In the name of love
What more in the name of love?
In the name of love
What more in the name of love?

Nobody like you
There’s noone like you
Nobody like you

Early morning, April four
Shot rings out in the Memphis sky
Free at last, they took your life
They could not take your pride
In the name of love
What more in the name of love?
In the name of love
What more in the name of love?

In the name of love
What more in the name of love?
In the name of love
What more in the name of love?

Thanks to Wikipedia, I learned a little bit more about this song. I was very interested to learn that Bono had wanted the lyrics to be more complex than they are but was persuaded to leave them more simplistic so that the song could be understood by non-native speakers of English.

An empowering quote by Martin Luther King, Jr. that I would like to leave you with today is:

 “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”

What changes can you make to not only positively improve your life but also the lives of others?