Infinite Hope — Observing Martin Luther King, Jr. Day in 2021

Written by Ramsey Khasho, PsyD

Dear Friends,

Many of us are delighted by the idea of a 3-day weekend. Whether it’s sleeping in, organizing the garage, reading a good book, going on a hike or trying out a new recipe, we’ve an endless list of ways to spend the extra day off, even in a pandemic. Especially in a pandemic. More than ever, we need the extra time for self-care and rest and reflection; our bodies and minds exhausted from the endless barrage of fear and bad news.

But I urge you to add one more thing to your mental list of ways to spend this precious day. We all know today is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.

It may, in fact, be the one of the most important MLK Days in the history of MLK Days. This is the first MLK Day after the historic Black Lives Matter protests of 2020. This MLK Day comes at a time when our nation is bitterly polarized, less than two weeks after an attack on our nation’s capitol and just a few days before a fraught inauguration day. While in previous years we may have listened to excerpts from Dr. King’s speeches on NPR on the way to work and read our children stories about his courage and commitment to civil rights, this year it’s critical we do more. We need to let Dr. King’s healing words flow through our veins and fill our souls as an antidote to hatred and divisiveness. Let them inspire us to believe in something that seems unattainable: reconciliation and peace. May they be a guiding light to lead us on a more beloved path forward.

“We must come to see that the end we seek is a society at peace with itself, a society that can live with its conscience.” –Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

I took this photo recently while visiting a tree farm ravaged by the LCU fires in August.

At first, all I saw was sadness: the charred remains of these majestic and sentient beings. But as I walked among them, I noticed something amazing. In stark contrast to the burn scars was the stunning magnificence of new growth. Seeping out from the cracks and spreading like the wildfire that gave it the opportunity to bloom. A reminder that when we start to lose hope and the damage seems irreparable, nature shows us what’s possible. Rifts make room for new things to grow.

In solidarity,

Ramsey Khasho, PsyD

Special Note: At CHC, we are just like you. We feel, we worry and we care about our kids, just like you. We understand, we care and we are right alongside you. Just as we believe in the promise and potential of every child, we believe in the capacity and the innate strength of every parent.

With nearly 70 years of experience helping local kids, teens, young adults and families navigate some of life’s most difficult challenges, CHC stands ready to lead the emotional recovery ahead, with courage, connection and compassion. We are open and available for therapeutic services via telehealth. We’ve launched virtual community education webinars, parent support groups and groups for high schoolers and young adults. Even our highest risk teens with suicidal and self-harm thoughts and behaviors continue to access best-in-class care remotely through the RISE Intensive Outpatient Program. We are here for our current clients and new families alike. If you have concerns, just call: our expert clinical team is standing by to help you with the same level of care that you know and trust. We’re in this together.