I have always been uncomfortable that Martin's iconography tends towards dour, ominous, and pensive pictures foreshadowing the tragedy that would take him from us. He deserves better than that. What makes Martin special is not how he died, but how he lived.
To celebrate that, I have decided to make a choice. I choose to remember it was not always terrible. I choose to remember the smiles, the hope, and victories along the way. To feel my soul lifted by the cheers. To warm my heart in the glow of Coretta's love as she kissed our hero. To find sustenance in his smile. To have the courage to see the same future they saw.
In that spirit, I am eternally grateful for this beautiful image captured by the late, great, Gene Herrick. It is how I will always remember Martin and Coretta.
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