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Real Estate: Today I too have a Dream

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with CELLing Realty CalBRE #01445865

As we start today, Martin Luther King Day, let's all reflect on the ideas that have gotten us to this moment in our History.  Let us all work together to help our communities to overcome the problems we are facing.  Real Estate is more than "making a buck" it's the backbone of our American lives.  The great American land rush, refugees from war torn Europe, and Immigrants, all sacrificing to make a better life in America. 

 Real Estate Agent

 

"Focusing your life solely on making a buck shows a certain poverty of ambition. It asks too little of yourself. Because it's only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you realize your true potential." -Barack Obama

 

 

 

 

 

 

My earliest memories of life outside my middle class cul-de-sac life were of Martin Luther King, the Civil Rights Movement in the South, and the National Guard trucks on the  LA Freeway going to the Watts Riots.  I remember in elementary school watching Kennedy, and the assignation, and I remember stories of the Holocaust.  These were the memories I had of a life outside me.  And as it turns out, all of them were big, defining moments in our History.

Today is not only Martin Luther King Day, it is the day that parents across the United States can indeed tell their children that you can grow up to be anything you want and you can indeed realize the American Dream. 

Tomorrow we will have a new President.  Tomorrow we will, in many peoples minds end an era of Oppression, and in the minds of most start our country on a healing process.  Healing past mistakes, and healing our struggling economy.  Tomorrow will be the start of a recovery where all men are created equal in the need and responsibility to help our neighbor, to help our communities, and to help ourselves overcome this economic crisit we are in.

Tomorrow we will need to come together, and as a person, a community member, a Professional, we need to come together and help each other out of this mess.  I will hold your hand if you will hold mine.  I will help you up, if you will help me.  "I have a Dream" also, and my dream is that we as a people will be able to once again have a home to live in, and a job to pay for it. 

 

My Dream is nothing as big as the Civil Rights Movement, but it is  something that is affecting all of us equally.  My Dream is  that we will come out of this economic crisis sooner than later, and that no one else has to lose their home, or their jobs, and that people that need medical help will get it.  My Dream is that we as a people will help each other out of this mess without judgment, without greed, but with the sense that we are indeed all entitled to the American Dream.

 

 

 

By:Kathy McGraw Broker CELLing Realty- Real Estate in Riverside County, CA

Monika McGillicuddy
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Verani Realty - Hampstead, NH
Southern NH & the Seacoast Area

I echo Leslie's statement. I hope tomorrow we can all move forward without throwing sticks and stones and laying blame. It's time to move forward.

Jan 19, 2009 05:06 AM
Celeste "SALLY" Cheeseman
Liberty Homes - Mililani, HI
(RA) AHWD CRS ePRO OAHU HAWAII REAL ESTATE

Wonderful!  Everything happened for a reason. This time the biggest reason of them all. To be united as WE the people instead of any other reason. This is surely excited...history in the making...and tomorrow...it will take it's place as a milestone in this great nation.

Jan 19, 2009 05:34 AM
George Souto
George Souto NMLS #65149 FHA, CHFA, VA Mortgages - Middletown, CT
Your Connecticut Mortgage Expert

Kathy that is a wonderful dream to have, and we as a country will be much better off if even only a part of your dream becomes a reality.

Jan 19, 2009 07:58 AM
Karen Cooper
Karen Cooper | Sr Mortgage Loan Originator ! NMLS # 223305 | First Federal Bank of Florida, Ocala, FL - The Villages, FL
Helping Homeowners w/Home Loans in 27 US States

Hi Kathy - What a wonderful dream, and one I share. I think we have come a long way from the Watts riots, but not nearly far enough if what happened after Rodney King was any indication. The way people pulled together after 9/11 gives me hope, though.

Jan 19, 2009 09:03 AM
Cynthia Tilghman, Realtor® Onslow County NC Home Specialist
Kingsbridge Realty, Inc - Hubert, NC

Kathy,
Your dream should be every American's dream--but then it would not be a dream, it would become a reality!  Hold on tight, my friend.

Jan 19, 2009 12:08 PM
Laura Cerrano
Feng Shui Manhattan Long Island - Locust Valley, NY
Certified Feng Shui Expert, Speaker & Researcher

Kathy, Beautifully put as always.  Your message is so right for this time more then ever--we need to ALL come together to get back to where we should be.  Let's hope and pray we leave our children (and  their children) a much better world.

Jan 19, 2009 12:52 PM
Lynda Eisenmann
Preferred Home Brokers - Brea, CA
Broker Associate ,CRS,GRI,SRES, Brea,CA, Orange Co

Hi Kathy,

Beautifully done, I love what you said about healing.

BTW, I had a long conversation with Katie, my 7-year old granddaughter and I can tell you how proud I was that she knew so my about Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Most of which she learned in first-grade, they had a special presentation that really connected with the kids.

Jan 19, 2009 01:15 PM
Mike Jones
SUNSTREET MORTGAGE, LLC (BK-0907366, NMLS 145171) - Tucson, AZ
Mike Jones NMLS 223495

Kathy,

I sure appreciate the way you write.

Mike in tucson

Jan 19, 2009 02:21 PM
Terry Miller
Miller Homes Group - Tyler, TX
Miller Homes Group and Tyler Apartment Locator

Great post. Good luck with your dream and have a great 2009.

Terry Miller

Jan 20, 2009 01:09 AM
Not a real person
San Diego, CA

That's the first Barack Obama quote I've seen here on ActiveRain, and it's a good one.

Jan 20, 2009 09:48 AM
Rebecca Levinson, Real Estate Marketing and Online Advertising Consultant
Real Skillz-Clear Marketing for Your Real Estate Vision - Lake Geneva, WI

Kathy- I will hold your hand any day for the movement of that cause.  Count me in.

Jan 21, 2009 07:21 AM
Kathleen Lordbock
Keller Williams Realty Professionals - Baxter, MN
Keller Williams Realty Professionals

The people need to change - perhaps this President can inspire them to do so.

Jan 22, 2009 01:11 AM
Debi Boucher
Real Estate Showcase Photography - Woodland Park, CO
"Realtor Showcase" - Real Estate Photography/Virtual Tours

Kathy, I lived in the San Diego area during the Watts riots, and remember the smoke from the fires all the way down there. I too, very clearly remember MLK's "I have a Dream" speech, and remember exactly where I was when I heard about Kennedy's assassination, both of them. I reflect on these events, and how they have defined me as an American, as a human being, as a woman. I am SO proud of my fellow Americans - at how far we've come, and our commitment to continue to move forward. It is my prayer that we will also come together as we move thru this latest challenge.

Thank you for this post.

Debi

Jan 23, 2009 12:27 PM
Mary Kent
Five Star Real Estate - Grand Rapids, MI
Grand Rapids to the Lake Shore

Kathy-Memories are something to be cherished. It''s amazing how much they mean to people in the years to come! 

Jan 25, 2009 06:12 AM
Linda Bourgault
lulugraphix-creative photography & fine art - Flower Mound, TX

Kathy—I am encouraged about the positive changes we are now moving towards in our nation. We need heroes such as MLK to help us to aspire to a higher calling. However, I know we will not move forward well unless every individual in the US recognizes their responsibility to participate actively for positive change. It's too easy to say we want change, but we must all do our own work as well as help ofthers to be successful.

It's good our children, through good parenting, do not hold the negative biases of times past. However, I believe they need to be educated about the struggles of our nation in order to really appreciate and be aware that these changes came at a price. Again, responsibility! Without awareness and practice of responsibility the words of "I have a Dream" ring hollow.

Obama's inaugarul address was purposely sober, he sacrificed his usual inspired oratory, to remind us as citizens we have a responsibility to work for the changes to take place. He, as President, will be responsible of holding our government accountable. The two requirements are essential in any progress we make in health care, educate, economic balance, and environmental practices, etc.

Jan 26, 2009 01:31 AM
Marian Gregor-Ann
Keller Williams - Ann Arbor, MI
Arbor area Real Estate

Kathy, Having your own home is truly the American Dream. I watched political maneuverings from the sidelines these last several years and I worried about the unraveling of that dream's tapestry. We have to face our problems head on and hold our politicians accountable.

Jan 26, 2009 04:29 AM
Kathy McGraw
CELLing Realty - White Water, CA
Riverside County CA Real Estate

Leslie- Obama appears to be one of those rare people that can inspire others.......I too hope that he continues to lead us out of the mess we're in.

Monika- Amen to that....:)

Sally- As I am writing this comment we have seen the speeches, and seen the power of Hope :)

George- Powerful dreams are never given up when there is work to be done :)

Karen- We have come so far, and yet we have so far to go....life is a journey :)

Cynthia- Thanks......

Carole- Each generation hopefully inherits something worthwhile :)

Lynda- I love it when children are taught, and understand, then force us to think :)

Mike- Thank you as always.

Terry- That is my plan :)

 

 

Jan 26, 2009 04:47 AM
Kathy McGraw
CELLing Realty - White Water, CA
Riverside County CA Real Estate

Russel- I loved that quote when I saw it, and that is what will get us out of this mess....working together unselfishly....

Rebecca- You have my hand as well.....we will all be better off when we work together :)

Kathleen- I believe he can :)

Debi- I like your prayer too.  I am proud of many things, yet still want to make sure all of us are working towards the common good of all. 

Mary- you are so right, and hopefully our collective memories will be good ones.

Linda- Absolutely....without responsibility and accountability there would be chaos.  I have seen this week a positive sign in that direction, and the verbiage that the office of President is not above the law is one of both Responsibility and Accountability :)

Marian-As Linda said.....accountability.  And that is what has been missing.  We all have to hold each other accountable as citizens, neighbors, and Americans.

 

Jan 26, 2009 04:59 AM
Diane Aurit
LKN Realty, LLC - Mooresville, NC
Lake Norman Real Estate

Kathy, we must be about the same age as I remember things just as you outlined here.  I was glued to the TV as much as I could on Tuesday.  What an amazingly emotional and joyous day for not just our country but for the world.  There is so much HOPE and that is a great way to start the first day of the rest of our lives!

Jan 26, 2009 06:50 AM
R.E. Renée Hoover, Salesperson
Century 21 Geba Realty, Milford, PA; Licensed in PA & NYS - Milford, PA
Poconos, Pike, Wayne, Monroe Counties, PA; PA/NYS

Kathy, Your message is truly beautiful, thoughtful and full of a wonderful and kind spirit.  You have so wonderfully captured the essence of this point in our history reflected by the inauguration of Barack Obama.  Thank you for the time you have taken to express all that you have.  Best to you and to all our community on Activerain.

Jan 28, 2009 08:28 AM