Monday, February 4, 2013

Power of 1


One person refused to sit on the back of the bus
She changed the right for all of us
Ohhhh that's the power of one....
-        By Bomshel (from the soundtrack of Evan Almighty)

On December 1, 1955, Rose Parks was seating on a bus-seat secluded for blacks. However, the driver demanded that she relinquish her seat to a white passenger. Parks refused and her subsequent arrest and trial for this act of civil disobedience triggered the Montgomery Bus Boycott, one of the largest and most successful mass movements against racial segregation in history.

The movement launched Martin Luther King, Jr., one of the organizers of the boycott, to the forefront of the civil rights movement. Rosa Parks’ role in American history earned her an iconic status and her actions have left an enduring legacy for civil rights movements around the world.

Too often, we insist that an individual cannot make a difference. But, Parks and many others have shown the power of one. It is power that comes from individual initiative. It is about walking the path without waiting for the comfort of company. It is about having the courage to stand up for one’s beliefs and values.

In a world where individuals seek support even before speaking up, we must be better at embracing the power of one. We must be proactive in dealing with every challenge. Without waiting for support, we must do what we know is the right thing to do. We must claim ownership of our own predicaments and respond resolutely and positively to every negative situation.

Do not wait for others to do what you want done...
Let’s BE BETTER at empowering our power of one!

- Pravin K. Sabnis
Goa, India.

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